UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


3 


• 


"LIGHTFOOT  WAS  DE  HORSE  DAT  SOT  MISS  TOLLY  OFF  so/' — PAGE  130. 


The   K*    K*    K. 


By    C.    W.    TYLER. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


"Who  would  bear — the  law's  delay — 
when  he  himself  might  his  quietus  make 
with  a  bare  bodkin." 

HAMLET. 


NORTH  RIVER  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 

J6J  BANK  STREET         j*         £         &         NEW  YORK. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


COPYRIGHTED    1903 
BY 

NORTH  RIVER  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  In  which  the  readei  is  taken  to  a  goodly  land,  and  intro 
duced  to  pleasant  company 5 

II.  A  midnight  alarm 15 

III.  Swift  retribution  follows  a  fearful  crime 19 

IV.  The  old  widow  tells  a  plain  unvarnished  tale 29 

V.  A  grievous  mistake  having  been  made,  certain  well  disposed 

persons  do  their  endeavor  to  rectify  it 39 

VI.  "  The  moon's  on  the  lake,  and  the  mist  on  the  brae ; 

And  the  clan  has  a  name  that  is  nameless  by  day." 47 

VII.  Young  Mr.  Templeton  sallies  forth  to  uphold  the  majesty  of 
the  law,  but  comes  near  forgetting  the  errand  upon  which 

he  is  bent 55 

VIII.  In  which  there  is  great  cry,  and  little  wool 64 

IX.  Pete  Kinchen  goes  in  quest  of  his  mother's  cow ;  and  finds 

what  he  was  not  looking  for 73 

X.  Betty  Hightower's  husband  has  a  pleasant  confab  with  the 

sheriff's  wife 84 

XL  Lawyer  Palaver  gives  vent  to  righteous  indignation  ;   and 

Lawyer  Slowboy  hooks  a  client  for  the  firm 89 

XII.  There  being  undue  excitement  in  the  public  mind  the  case  of 
the  State  versus  Ankerstrom  is  continued  to  the  following 
term 99 

XIII.  Young  Mr.  Templeton  changes  his  mind  when  out  of  humor, 

and  reverts  to  his  former    opinion  when  cheerfulness  is 
restored 110 

XIV.  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  and  Matilda  the  housemaid,  have  a 

singular  experience  with  a  Bible  agent 122 

XV.  Some  jolly  good  fellows  meet  at  the  tavern  ;  and  the  case  of 

the  State  versus  Ankerstrom  is  again  called  in  court 134 

XVI.  There  being  undue  excitement  in  the  public  mind  a  change  of 
venue  is  granted  in  the  Ankerstrom  case.  An  old  farmer 
rides  out  of  town  on  a  young  lady's  horse,  and  thereby  adds 

to  the  excitement  in  the  public  mind. .,.,,, 146 

3 


4  Contents. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVII.  In  which  the  reader  is  introduced  to  two  cave  dwellers, 

not  of  the  pre-historic  kind 159 

XVIII.  The  exuberant  fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss  brings  him 
into  trouble  ;  and  the  old  farmer  delivers  a  free  lecture 
to  a  select  audience 168 

XIX.  The  old  farmer  attends  a  business  meeting  of  the  K.  K.  K., 

and  hears  something  not  to  his  advantage 180 

XX.  The  exciting  adventure  of    Sam  Quackenboss,  and  Mr. 

Hardrider,  with  two  hobgoblins  on  the  highway 189 

XXI.  The  Ankerstrom  case  is  called  in  another  county.      The 

judge  ignores  a  powerful  affidavit,  and  the  trial  begins.  199 
XXII.  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  takes  the  stand,  and  there  ensues  a 

very  learned  argument  on  a  very  grave  point 209 

XXIII.  The  judge  sentences  the  prisoner  to  hang  speedily  ;  but 

the  latter  grants  himself  a  respite  of  a  year  or  so 221 

XXIV.  In  which  there  is  much  rash  counsel,  and  some  sage  coun 

sel,  followed  by  a  prudent  conclusion 228 

XXV.  Lawyer  Slowboy  displays  great  shrewdness  at  the  horse 

market ;  and  then  calls  upon  a  lady  acquaintance. . . , . .  235 
XXVI.  Mr.  Slowboy  travels  a  lonely  road  by  night,  and  soon  finds 

himself  in  decidedly  queer  company 246 

XXVII.  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  distinguishes  himself  at  the  wood 
pile  264 

XXVIII.  The  case  of  the  State  versus  Ankerstrom  is  heard  in  the  re 
vising  court,  and  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients  is  upheld.  276 
XXIX.  Which  tells  of  a  carousal  at  the  jail ;  and  a  soberer  gather 
ing  in  the  wood ,  287 

XXX.  The  ungentlemanly  behavior  of  Alabama  Sam,  and  de 

little  ole  white  man,  at  the  abode  of  Patsy  Kinchen 297 

XXXI.  An  intrepid  lad,  and  his  dog,  having  tramped  all  their 

lives  for  nothing,  concluded  to  tramp  a  while  for  pay . .  304 
XXXII.  Terrific  combat   in    the  cavern   betwixt  Pete  Kinchen, 

Jineral  Beauregard,  and  de  little  ole  white  man 313 

XXXIII.  Which  tells  how  a  young  lady  took  a  horseback  ride,  and 

made  a  murderous  assault  on  a  poor  old  beggar 323 

XXXIV.  A  second  trial  of  the  Ankerstrom  case  in  the  inferior  court 

results  in  a  hung  jury.     Lawyer  Palaver  takes  a  drink 

with  an  agreeable  young  gentleman 333 

XXXV.  A  noted  individual  shuffles  off  this  mortal  coil,  and  leaves 

the  world  none  the  poorer . .  841 

The  prompter  rings  his  little  bell?  and  the  curtain  falls. , , ,  849 


PREFACE. 


Few  intelligent  persons  in  this  country  can  have  failed  to  note 
the  rapid  growth  of  mob  law  among  us  in  the  last  few  years. 
Formerly  the  punishment  of  offenders  was  the  business  of  the 
courts,  and  illegal  executions  in  the  name  of  justice  never  resorted 
to  except  in  rare  instances  when  some  deed  of  peculiar  atrocity 
stirred  an  entire  community  to  frenzy.  Now  human  beings  are 
frequently  sent  out  of  the  world  by  hasty  assemblages  of  excited 
men,  not  only  in  open  defiance  of  the  authorities  but  often  where 
the  offense  charged  would  not  have  been  punishable  with  death 
under  the  law.  In  some  instances,  to  our  shame  as  a  people  be  it 
said,  the  irresponsible  mob  has  burned  helpless  captives  at  the 
stake,  thus  introducing  into  an  enlightened  country  a  practice 
hitherto  unknown  except  among  the  most  cruel  savages. 

Surely,  the  time  has  come  when  serious  enquiry  should  be  made 
into  the  causes  back  of  this  rapidly  growing  evil,  with  the  view  of 
staying  its  further  progress  if  possible.  Having  been  for  a  number 
of  years  the  judge  of  a  court  in  my  State  with  criminal  jurisdiction, 
I  have  become  convinced  that  the  only  reason  why  good  citizens 
countenance  mob  violence  is  that  they  have  lost  faith  in  the  ability 
of  the  courts  to  deal  effectually  with  crime.  They  weary  of  the 
delay  attending  criminal  prosecutions,  and  the  frequent  failure  of 
justice  in  the  end  exasperates  them.  If  this  be  true  then  the 
remedy  for  mob  law  is  to  substitute  for  it  speedy  trial,  and  prompt 
punishment,  of  all  offenders  through  our  regularly  established 
courts  of  justice.  In  dealing  with  criminals  we  had  for  the  pres 
ent  better  err  on  the  side  of  too  much  despatch  than  to  pursue  fur 
ther  the  procrastinating  methods  that  have  awakened  a  protest  in 
the  minds  of  thousands  of  the  soberest  men  in  the  country,  and 
brought  some  portions  of  our  wide  republic  to  the  verge  of 
anarchy. 

In  framing  the  present  story  it  was  my  purpose  to  show  on  the 
one  'hand  how  easily  the  vengeance  of  a  mob  may  be  misplaced,  and 


4  Preface. 

on  the  other  how  provoking  to  the  patience  of  those  interested  in 
the  suppression  of  crime  and  the  preservation  of  order  must  be 
the  progress  of  a  modern  criminal  trial  as  it  drags  its  slow  length 
along  through  the  courts.  Some  of  the  incidents  here  narrated  are 
real,  others  fictitious,  and  I  have  endeavored  to  weave  them  all 
into  a  story  that  while  carrying  a  moral  with  it  would  not  be 
without  interest  to  the  general  reader.  The  name  of  the  book,  I 
may  add,  was  taken  from  that  of  a  secret  society  which  soon  after 
the  close  of  the  civil  war  was  organized  in  my  community  for  the 
purpose  of  administering  speedy  justice  to  evil-doers  at  a  time 
when  this  end  could  not  be  attained  through  the  courts.  The 
title,  therefore,  when  chosen  was  not  without  significance  to  me, 
though  doubtless  it  will  be  meaningless  to  most  of  those  who 
glance  over  my  pages. 

I  am  aware  of  the  fact  that  this  story  lacks  the  polish  it  would 
have  possessed  had  it  come  from  more  skillful  hands.  It  was 
written  however  for  the  honest  purpose  of  striking  at  a  grave 
existing  evil,  and,  such  as  it  is,  I  send  it  forth  without  apology, 
hoping  it  may  find  a  few  friends  among  the  millions  of  readers  in 
this  great  country,  and  be  in  the  end  productive  of  some  good. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
July  27th,  1903. 


THE  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IN  WHICH  THE  READER  IS  TAKEN  TO  A  GOODLY  LAND  AND  INTRO 
DUCED  TO  PLEASANT  COMPANY. 

IF  you  ever  take  occasion  to  descend  the  Cumberland  River  by 
steamer  from  Nashville,  Tennessee,  you  will  observe  on  the  right 
bank  of  that  picturesque  stream,  not  far  from  the  rapids  called 
Harpeth  Shoals,  a  rolling  tract  of  highlands  extending  for  some 
distance  along  your  route,  and  stretching  as  far  back  into  the  in 
terior  as  the  eye  can  reach.  This  highland  territory  is  known  to 
the  dwellers  within  its  borders,  and  the  good  folk  of  the  re 
gion  roundabout,  as  "  The  Marrowbone  Hills."  It  embraces 
a  considerable  expanse  of  country,  but  as  it  recedes  north 
wardly  narrows  some  distance  out  from  the  river  into  a  long  and 
precipitous  neck  of  upland,  which  for  some  mysterious  reason 
has  been  dubbed  "  Paradise  Ridge."  I  say  for  some  mysterious 
reason  this  rugged  elevation  has  been  so  designated,  but  the  old 
settlers  thereabouts  will  tell  you  that  the  "  movers  "  trekking  from 
Carolina  and  Virginia,  a  hundred  years  ago,  and  encountering 
this  formidable  obstacle  in  their  path,  named  it  "  Paradise  Ridge  " 
in  fine  scorn.  Lumbering  farm  wagons,  often  a  dozen  or  more 
together,  constituted  the  transportation  trains  of  that  early  period, 
and  to  surmount  this  frowning  barrier  with  such  a  vehicle,  well 
laden  with  wife,  children,  and  household  goods,  was  a  feat  scarcely 
paralleled  by  the  notable  one  of  Bonaparte's  crossing  the  Alps.  In 
spite  of  vigorous  application  of  the  lash,  and  the  liberal  use  of  pro 
fanity,  the  desperate  teams  often  stalled  here  on  the  upward 
climb,  and  when  the  summit  at  last  was  reached  and  the  descent 
on  the  opposite  side  begun,  the  situation  was  found  to  be  changed 
by  no  means  for  the  better, 

5 


&  The  K.  K.  K. 

Notwithstanding  locked  wheels  and  constant  tugging  against 
the  breeching  on  the  part  of  the  hindmost  mules,  the  conveyance 
now  went  forward  at  headlong  rate,  bumping  against  huge  boul 
ders,  and  scattering  the  fearful  housewife's  plunder,  with  now 
and  then  a  few  of  the  children,  promiscuously  along  the  route. 
Oftentimes  spokes  and  tires  were  smashed,  axles  broken,  or 
tongues  shattered,  and  it  took  days  to  mend  up  and  start  afresh 
on  the  journey  to  a  new  home  in  the  wilderness.  All  this  was  in 
the  good  old  times  that  we  dream  so  fondly  about,  and  which  no 
body  in  his  senses  would  like  to  have  restored.  The  railroad  from 
St.  Louis  to  Nashville  now  cleaves  in  twain  this  exasperating  Par 
adise  Ridge,  and  the  sleepy  traveler  may  glide  smoothly  down 
from  Ridgetop  to  Baker's,  at  the  foot,  without  ever  being 
aroused  from  his  nap. 

The  Marrowbone  Hills,  however,  lie  back  of  the  narrow  ridge 
just  described,  which  stretches  out  from  among  them  like  the 
crooked  handle  of  a  gourd.  The  hill  country  proper  is  a  pleasant 
land,  where  moderate  heights  and  fertile  valleys,  wooded  tracts, 
cleared  fields,  and  running  waters  greet  the  eye  of  the  traveler 
in  agreeable  diversity.  The  soil,  even  on  the  steep  hillsides,  yields 
a  fair  return  to  honest  labor,  and  the  atmosphere,  owing  to  the 
general  elevation  of  the  country,  is  bracing  and  healthy  nearly 
all  the  year  round.  The  plain  farmer  folk  who  till  the  earth  and 
spend  their  days  here  seldom  achieve,  or  aspire  to,  great  wealth, 
but  they  constitute  a  manly  class,  who  hold  their  heads  up,  and 
generally  manage — as  they  themselves  frequently  boast — to  get 
through  life  without  begging,  borrowing  or  stealing. 

Close  to  the  borders  of  this  hill  region  may  be  seen  a  singular 
succession  of  high  conical  mounds,  called  knobs ;  and  beyond  these 
stretches  a  broad,  level  expanse  of  country  as  productive  and 
beautiful  to  the  eye  as  ever  the  crow  flew  over.  In  this  lowland 
territory  the  dwellers  are  more  pretentious  than  on  the  hills,  and 
the  soil  for  the  most  part  is  cultivated  by  negroes.  These,  as  else 
where  at  the  South,  constitute  a  class  to  themselves,  and  would 
prove  more  satisfactory  as  laborers  but  for  their  unfortunate  pro 
pensity  to  shift  their  dwelling-places  with  a  frequency  that  is  dis 
couraging  to  the  landowner,  and  oftentimes  baffling  to  the  would- 
be  collectors  of  poll-tax.  As  it  is,  the  relation  between  the  two 
races  is  by  no  means  unkindly,  though  the  negroes  are  a  little  too 
suspicious  of  the  good  intentions  of  the  whites,  and  the  latter,  as 
a  rule,  too  prone  to  charge  up  to  the  inferior  race  all  offenses  of 


A  Goodly  Land  and  Pleasant  Company.  7 

whatever  description  that  cannot  be  immediately  traced  to  some 
other  source. 

At  the  time  when  my  story  begins — for  I  may  as  well  confess 
now  to  the  gentle  reader  that  it  is  my  purpose  to  inflict  upon  him 
a  narrative  in  which  fact  is  more  or  less  mingled  with  fiction — 
there  stood  within  the  confines  of  the  hill  country,  but  not  far  from 
the  c>order  line,  the  substantial  log  house  of  an  old  woman  who 
had  dwelt  there  in  peace  and  comparative  comfort  nearly  all  her 
days.  She  owned  a  snug  little  farm  about  her  home,  or,  rather, 
had  a  life  interest  in  the  property,  for  the  fee  at  her  death  vested 
in  her  granddaughter,  a  comely  girl  of  some  eighteen  years,  who 
dwelt  with  her.  The  old  lady,  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe,  was  alto 
gether  illiterate,  but  honest,  independent,  courageous  beyond  most 
of  her  sex,  and  possessed  of  a  fund  of  native  good  sense  which 
stood  her  often  in  hand  when  mere  "  book  Tarnin' "  would  have 
been  of  no  avail.  She  was  quite  an  original  character — this 
Widow  Bascombe,  as  she  was  usually  called — decidedly  sharp- 
tongued  when  she  fancied  occasion  demanded,  but  as  a  general 
thing  kindly  in  her  deportment  toward  others,  and  very  popular 
with  her  neighbors. 

Her  granddaughter  and  namesake  was,  I  make  bold  to  say, 
as  handsome  and  spirited  a  damsel  as  could  have  been  found 
within  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  or,  for 
that  matter,  within  the  whole  country  far  and  near,  without  re 
striction  of  territory.  The  father  and  mother  of  the  girl  had  both 
died  when  she  was  a  wee  thing,  and  left  her  to  the  care  of  the  old 
lady,  who  had  raised  her,  and  endeavored  to  train  her  up  in  the 
way  she  should  go.  As  she  grew  to  womanhood  the  neighbors 
about  did  not  fail  to  note  that  she  had  inherited  from  her  grand 
mother  a  tall  and  shapely  person,  and  that  she  resembled  the  old 
widow  also  in  being  the  possessor  of  a  strong  character,  of  which 
self-reliance  constituted  the  principal  trait.  In  one  particular  the 
girl  had  decidedly  the  advantage  of  the  elder  female,  and  that  was 
in  the  matter  of  education.  She  had  trotted  back  and  forth  as  a 
child  to  the  rough  log  school-house  in  her  neighborhood — wagging 
often  under  a  load  of  books  that  would  have  borne  her  down  if 
she  had  not  been  strong  for  her  years — and  had  so  acquired  smat 
tering  information  upon  many  subjects  and  genuine  knowledge 
of  a  few.  She  was  quick  witted,  like  her  grandmother,  and  very 
ambitious,  so  that  the  pupil  who  stood  above  her  in  her  classes 
was  required  to  rise  early  and  retire  late.  At  this  backwoods  insti- 


8  The  K.  K.  K. 

tute  little  Sue  Bascombe,  having  no  sensational  novels  to  devour, 
acquired  a  taste  for  solid  reading,  which  she  afterward  cultivated 
nt  home  in  the  midst  of  increasing  household  duties.  By  the  time 
she  had  donned  long  skirts  and  abandoned  her  school  satchel  she 
was  quite  a  superior  sort  of  young  person,  mentally  as  well  as 
physically,  and  could  more  justly  have  been  deemed  thoroughly 
accomplished  than  many  a  graduate  from  a  famed  city  academy. 

The  house  where  the  two  .  omen  dwelt  was  a  double  log  struc 
ture  with  an  open  passageway  between  the  lower  rooms,  such  as 
are  still  quite  common  in  that  part  of  the  country.  It  was  a  story 
and  a  half  high,  and  the  two  contracted  apartments  above  were 
used,  the  one  as  a  general  lumber  room,  the  other  as  a  snug  dor 
mitory,  where  the  grateful  wayfarer  was  allowed  to  repose  in  a 
fat  feather  bed,  with  about  six  inches  of  breathing  space  betwixt 
his  nose  and  the,  well-seasoned  rafters  overhead.  The  genteel 
room  of  the  mansion  was  below  and  across  the  open  passageway 
from  that  occupied  by  the  widow  and  her  granddaughter.  This 
special  company  room-  had  great  brass  dog-irons  on  the  hearth, 
in  the  well-scrubbed  knobs  of  which  one  might  detect  his  own 
countenance  dancing  about  when  the  fire*  was  briskly  ablaze. 
There  was  a  high-post  bed  here,  with  a  canopy  overhead,  which 
was  seldom  occupied,  and  indeed  was  kept  more  for  ornament  than 
utility.  A  young  man  of  scholastic  attainments  and  solemn  de 
meanor  boarded  with  the  family  during  the  pedagogic  months  of 
the  year;  but  though  he  was  permitted  to  use  the  company  room 
for  chat  and  study  during  his  sojourn,  he  was  required  always  to 
betake  himself  to  the  cuddy  apartment  upstairs  when  bedtime 
came.  He  was  now  absent  upon  his  summer  vacation,  whiling 
away  the  time  with  some  distant  relatives  who  had  consented  to 
supply  him  with  food  and  lodging  for  the  benefit  of  his  society. 

The  schoolmaster  being  away,  the  old  ladv  and  her  grand 
daughter  were  left  alone  in  the  house,  but  they  were  not  apprehen 
sive  of  danger  or  specially  lonely,  for  they  were  not  timid,  and 
had  come  to  derive  a  good  deal  of  comfort  from  each  other's  so 
ciety.  Besides,  there  were  kindly  neighbors  scattered  around 
them,  and  visits  from  one  or  more  of  these  was  an  almost  daily 
occurrence.  On  the  widow's  farm,  about  a  half-mile  from  the 
dwelling,  a  negro  named  Sandy  Kinchen  lived  in  a  single-room 
cabin  with  his  wife  and  one  child.  His  closest  friend  was  a  little 
dog  of  the  fox  terrier  variety,  and  the  general  opinion  in  regard 
to  them  both  was  that  they  were  no  better  than  they  should  be. 


A  Goodly  Land  and  Pleasant  Company.  9 

Th.3  Kinchcn,  with  his  dog  ^t  his  heels,  would  tramp  the  country 
all  night  in  search  of  'coons  and  'possums,  or  on  worse  business, 
but  could  seldom  be  induced  to  tread  a  corn  furrow  or  tobacco 
row  by  day  with  the  view  of  paying  his  rent  or  earning  a  support 
for  his  family.  He  was  indeed  a  worthfess  fellow,  and  little 
thought  of  by  the  neighbors,  many  of  whom  expressed  surprise 
that  the  old  widow  would  suffer  him  to  loaf  about  on  her  premises. 
Leaving  his  laziness  out  of  the  question,  however,  no  worse  was 
suspected  of  him  as  yet  than  that  he  cherished  an  undue  fondness 
for  watermelons  not  grown  in  his  own  patch  and  chickens  that 
roosted  away  from  his  wife's  henhouse. 

At  the  time  of  the  year  which  I  write — it  was  an  evening  in 
early  June — the  leaves  on  the  trees  had  but  recently  corne  to  full 
growth,  and  there  was  a  newness  and  freshness  about  the  verdure 
everywhere  that  presently  would  be  dulled  by  the  scorching  heat 
of  summer  and  the  dust  from  the  roads  and  fields.  The  sun  had 
just  disappeared  behind  the  crest  of  a  high  hill  that  loomed  up 
immediately  back  of  the  old  farmhouse,  and  a  deep  shadow  had 
crept  across  the  yard  and  was  now  encroaching  upon  a  little 
piece  of  meadow  land  that  lay  in  front  beyond  the  highway.  Sue 
Bascombe  had  stood  for  some  minutes  in  the  open  doorway  of  the 
family  room,  looking  down  the  road  toward  the  level  country,  as  if 
she  expected  some  one  to  approach  from  that  direction.  Near 
the  center  of  the  room  her  grandmother  sat  in  a  split-bottomed 
chair  smoking  a  cob  pipe.  Early  as  the  hour  was  the  two  had 
supped,  and  all  evidences  of  the  evening  meal  had  been  cleared 
away.  The  girl  stood  in  the  open  doorway  with  her  arms  folded 
and  her  head  resting  carelessly  against  the  framework  on  her 
right.  She  was  trim  and  square-shouldered,  with  a  good  suit  of 
black  hair  and  eyes  to  match.  A  stranger  could  not  have  failed 
to  notice  the  striking  resemblance  between  herself  and  grand 
mother,  notwithstanding  the  great  disparity  in  their  ages. 

"  You  needn't  look  so  hard,  Sue,"  remarked  the  old  lady,  re 
moving  the  pipe  from  her  mouth  as  she  spoke.  "  Looking  won't 
fetch  him,  child/' 

"  I'm  not  trying  to  fetch  him,"  answered  the  girl,  with  a  trace 
of  resentment  at  the  insinuation.  "  If  he  doesn't  want  to  come  he 
can  stay  away." 

The  old  woman  laughed.  "  Somebody  would  have  a  fit  of  the 
blues  if  he  did,"  she  replied,  and  began  sucking  at  her  pipe- 
stem  again. 


io  The  K.  K.  K. 

The  girl  made  no  answer.  Her  grandmother  smoked  on  in 
silence  a  while  longer.  Then  she  continued  between  whiffs: 
"  Wai,  wal,  honey,  I  ain't  a  blamin'  you  for  bein'  a  little  anxious. 
I  'members  the  time  when  I'd  a  been  anxious  too  ef  my  beau 
hadn't  turned  up  jess  at  the  very  minute  he  sot.  Gals  is  gals ;  gals 
is  gals." 

"  I'm  not  anxious,  Granny,"  remarked  the  young  lady  in  the 
doorway. 

"  Naw,  you  ain't,  and  yit  you  is.  Wal,  wal,  I  used  to  be  a  gal 
myself,  and  I  finds  fault  with  no  person  for  bein'  a  gal.  Times 
has  changed  though  sence  I  was  a  gal.  Laws  a  mussy,  jess  to 
think  how  times  has  changed.  The  Pearsons,  they  used  to  be  reg 
ular  highflyers,  and  your  grandpappy,  you.  know,  he  was  a  over 
seer " 

"  I  hope  he  was  a  good  one,"  interjected  Sue,  who  had  family 
pride  of  the  right  sort. 

"  That's  what  he  was,"  replied  the.  old  woman  promptly.  "  He 
was  giv'  up  to  be  the  best  in  all  the  country.  Up  and  down,  fur 
and  wide,  there  wa'n't  no  better  overseer  than  Lemuel  Bascombe, 
and  them  that  says  to  the  contrary  tells  what  ain't  so.  Times  has 
changed  though,  as  I  was  a  sayin';  times  has  changed.  Laws  a 
mussy,  jess  to  think  of  it!  This  here  world  moves  round  and 
round ;  and  some  goes  up  while  some  comes  down.  That's  a  true 
word  as  ever  was  spoke.  Your  grandpappy,  Lemuel  Bascombe — " 
folks  called  him  Lem  for  short — used  to  oversee  for  Ran  Pear 
son's  daddy.  That  was  in  the  old  times,  child,  the  old  times.  One 
lived  at  the  big  house  then  and  t'other  at  the  quarter.  I  remember 
it  all  as  well  as  if  it  had  been  yistiddy.  Mighty  stuck  up,  I  tell  you, 
was  ole  Miss  Pearson,  Ran's  -mammy ;  -mighty  -stuck  up ;  mighty 
stuck  up.  When  she  driv  by  in  her  carriage  she  hilf  her  head  high, 
and  was  jess  as  like  not  to  speak  to  a  body  as. to  speak.  Proud  she 
was,  I  tell  you,  and  her  ways  was  ways  of  grondeur.  That  was 
in  the  long  time  ago,  and  now  here's  her  own  dear  son  a  hitchin' 
his  hoss  at  my  gate,  and  a  comin'  in  to  keep  com.pany  with  my 
granddarter.  Wal,  wal ;  will  wonders  never  cease  ?  " 

"  He  needn't  come,  I'm  sure,  unless  he  wants  to,"  retorted  Miss 
Sue,  tossing  her  head. 

"Mighty  uppish,  mighty  uppish,"  replied  old  Mrs.  Bascombe, 
surveying  her  granddaughter,  however,  with  considerable  pride 
as  she  spoke.  "  Wal,  wal ;  we'll  let  bygones  be  bygones — that's 
the  best  way.  Ran  Pearson  is  a  clever  fellow,  Sue ;  and  it  never 


A  Goodly  Land  and  Pleasant  Company.          n 

hurt  anybody  yit  that  be  come  of  a  good  fambly.  Even  a  dog  of 
good  breed  is  better'n  a  low  down  cur.  Ran  is  a  gentleman,  a 
gentleman  born,  and  a  gentleman  in  his  ways,  and  them  what  says 
to  the  contrary  tells  what  ain't  so.  To  be  sho,  to  be  sho,  he's  git 
tin'  along  now  to  be  considerable  of  a  old  bachelor,  considerable 
of  a  old  bachelor,  but  he  can't  help  that." 

"  He's  not  forty  yet/'  replied  the  girl. 

"  Ef  he  ain't,"  replied  the  old  woman,  "  he's  so  nigh  thar  ain't 
no  fun  in  it.  Lemme  see,"  taking  her  pipe  from  her  mouth  to 
reflect,  "  come,  thirty-nire  year  next  November — or  was  it  thirty- 
eight  ?  But  that's  neither  here  nor  thar.  Ran  is  old  enough  to  be 
stiddy,  and  yit  he  ain't  hurt  with  age.  That  much  anybody  can  say 
for  him  and  tell  no  lie.  He  hain't  put  on  specks  yit,  and  he's 
still  supple  in  his  j'ints;  but  he's  gittin'  along,  gittin'  along,  Ran 
is.  Ef  him  and  a  right  spry  youn^  chap  was  sparkin'  the  same 
gal,  I'm  afraid  he'd  git  left ;  but  when  it's  a  race  'twixt  him  and  a 
poke-easy  fellow  like  the  schoolmarster — I'll  lay  my  last  dollar  on 
Ran" 

"  The  schoolmarster,  fiddlesticks,"  rejoined  the  young  lady  im 
patiently.  "  Who's  thinking  of  him  ?  " 

"  Ah,  never  mind,  never  mind,"  answered  the  old  woman.  "  I 
tell  you  what " 

"  What  does  he  care  for  me,  I'd  like  to  know  ?  "  interrupted  the 
girl. 

"  He  cares  a  heap  for  you,"  replied  her  grandmother,  "  and 
you  know  it  as  well  as  you  know  you're  standin'  thar." 

"  He  wouldn't  give  a  page  of  his  dry  Latin  and  Greek  for  the 
best  girl  in  Marrowbone  Hills,"  said  Miss  Sue. 

"  He'd  put  all  his  books  in  a  pile  and  burn  'em  for  Sue  Bas- 
combe;  and  you  needn't  let  on  like  you  don't  think  he  would,"  re 
plied  the  old  lady. 

"  He's  downright  stupid,"  cried  Miss  Sue  from  her  place  in  the 
doorway.  "  He's  stupid  as  an  owl,  for  all  he's  so  dreadfully 
wise." 

"  He's  a  fine  young  fellow,"  answered  old  Mrs.  Bascombe, 
"and  the  best  gal  in  the  country  might  be  proud  to  git 
him." 

"  I  wouldn't  give  a  snap  of  my  finger  for  him,"  said  Sue,  suit 
ing  the  action  to  the  word,  and  snapping  her  middle  finger  sharply 
Against  her  thumb. 
v "  You  mout  go  further  and  do  wuss,"  retorted  the  old  woman, 


12  The  K.  K.  K. 

who  never  allowed  herself  to  be  worsted  in  debate  if  she  could 
help  it. 

What  further  would  have  followed  between  these  two  high-spir 
ited  females  must  forever  remain  a  matter  of  conjecture,  for  at 
this  moment  fche  sound  of  a  horse's  feet  was  heard  up  the  road  and 
the  girl  abruptly  left  the  doorway.  She  lit  a  candle  that  stood  on 
z  little  shelf  against  the  wall — it  was  now  growing  dark  in  the 
room — and  taking  up  a  brush  and  comb  began  to  arrange  her  hair. 
The  did  not  need  to  primp  much,  for  she  ha3  been  expecting  her 
visitor,  but  a  few  touches  at  the  last  moment  are  never  out  of 
place.  The  mirror  before  which  she  stood  was  an  old-fashioned 
looking-glass,  with  two  ships  depicted  at  the  top,  sailing  over  a 
singularly  blue  sea.  About  half  her  figure  was  reflected  in  this, 
and  she  had  no  reason  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  hurried  inspection 
she  took  of  her  person.  After  a  few  moments  spent  in  tidying, 
she  blew  out  the  candle,  and,  crossing  the  open  passageway  into 
the  spare  room,  lit  a  lamp  that  stood  on  a  center  table  there.  The 
old  woman,  without  invitation,  arose  and  followed  her.  She  was 
fond  of  company,  and  she  didn't  believe  in  leaving  unmarried  peo 
ple  of  different  sexes  to  themselves.  She  took  her  seat  in  a  large 
arm-chair  by  the  lamp  and  began  knitting  industriously,  rocking 
back  and  forth  as  she  did  so.  Sue  went  to  the  window  curtains 
and  gave  them  a  shake,  though  there  wasn't  anything  specially  the 
matter  with  them.  She  then  searched  the  corners  of  the  room 
with  a  keen  eye  for  cobwebs,  but  none  were  visible.  A  step  was 
now  heard  in  the  passage,  and  afterward  a  rap  on  the  bare  floor, 
made  with  the  heavy  end  of  a  riding-whip  or  the  heel  of  a  boot. 

"  Come  in,"  cried  Sue. 

The  visitor  who  entered  at  this  invitation  looked  to  be  forty 
years  of  age,  if  he  wasn't.  The  hair  on  the  summit  of  his  head 
was  decidedly  thin,  so  much  so  that  his  pate  glistened  through  it 
in  places,  but  it  could  not  be  fairly  said  as  yet  that  he  was  bald. 
His  face  was  serious — a  good,  honest  face,  one  would  say — and 
in  manner  he  was  rather  retiring.  Indeed,  there  was  a  sort  of  stiff 
ness  about  him  as  he  returned  their  salutation,  which  indicated 
that  he  was  not  entirely  at  ease  in  company ;  and  this  perhaps  was 
the  highest  compliment  he  could  have  paid  those  on  whom  he  had 
called.  It  was  convincing  proof  that  while  the  old  woman  might 
have  considered  it  a  half-condescension  on  his  part  to  visit  them, 
there  was  no  such  idea  predominant  in  his  own  mind.  Randolph 
Pearson  always  felt  somewhat  constrained  in  the  presence  of  fe- 


A  Goodly  Land  and  Pleasant  Company.          13 

males,  for  he  had  never  been  a  society  man.  His  father  had  been 
wealthy,  but  extravagant,  and  the  son  at  his  death  inherited  from 
him  a  comparatively  small  patrimony.  He  had  added  to  this  ma 
terially,  however,  by  frugality,  sobriety,  and  strict  attention  to  his 
business,  and  by  pursuing  this  course  for  a  number  of  years  had 
finally  won  for  himself  among  the  good  ladies  of  the  vicinity  the 
double  reputation  of  being  a  desirable  catch  and  a  confirmed  old 
bachelor.  He  had  begun  casting  a  wistful  eye  upon  the  Bascombe 
girl  while  she  was  yet  tramping  to  and  from  the  country  school- 
house,  loaded  down  with  books.  When  she  grew  up  to  be  a 
young  lady,  and  a  handsome  one  to  boot,  he  made  bold  to  call 
upon  her,  and  as  this  was  a  startling  step  for  a  man  of  his  habits, 
his  first  visit  set  the  tongue  of  rumor  wagging  in  his  neighborhood 
most  industriously. 

Between  two  entertaining  females  Mr.  Pearson  managed  on  this 
occasion  to  while  away  the  time  quite  agreeably.  He  discoursed 
with  the  old  lady  about  the  best  method  of  protecting  her  fowls 
from  varmints,  and  the  safest  preventive  against  the  ravages  of 
the  potato  bug  in  the  garden.  He  listened  politely  while  she  in 
dulged  in  reminiscences  of  the  days  when,  her  husband — Lem  Bas 
combe,  folk  called  him — was  overseer  for  his  father. 

"  Terbacker  brought  better  figgers  them  times  than  nowadays. 
All  you  had  to  do  was  to  haul  it  to  the  river,  and  it  floated  down 
natural  to  New  Ileens.  Now  it's  got  to  be  loaded  on  the  steam 
cars,  and  drug  across  the  country  away  off  to  New  Yark,  and 
that  costs  money.  Three  acres  of  terbacker  them  times  was  a 
average  crop  for  a  field  hand,  and  he  had  to  tend  it  or  take  the 
consequences.  Now,  bless  your  life,  niggers  is  too  genteel  to  sile 
thar  fingers  with  suckers  and  horn  worms.  'Stidder  puttin'  in 
thar  best  licks  on  the  farm,  they  go  trapesing  about  with  guns, 
shootin'  rabbits,  and  plottin'  all  manner  of  devilment  agin  the 
whites." 

Miss  Sue  was  a  party  to  much  of  the  above  promiscuous  talk, 
occasionally  agreeing  with  her  grandmother,  sometimes  taking 
issue  with  her  stoutly.  Now  and  then  a  subject  was  sprung  where 
the  discourse  for  a  time  was  necessarily  between  the  damsel  and 
her  steady-going  wooer,  but  on  the  whole  it  would  have  been  dif 
ficult  to  tell  from  the  drift  of  the  talk  whether  Pearson's  visit  was 
to  the  old  lady,  the  young  lady,  or  the  family.  He  remained  until 
nine  o'clock — which  is  considered  honest  bedtime  in  the  Marrow 
bone  Hills — and  when  he  took  his  departure  the  girl  accompanied 


14  The  K.  K.  K. 

him  out  to  the  stile  block.  There  presumably  they  had  some  chat 
of  a  nature  customary  and  proper  between  bachelor  and  maiden 
who  contemplate  establishing  between  themselves  a  firmer  and 
more  lasting  union.  Even  this  confidential  confab,  however,  was 
of  no  great  duration,  and,  after  the  lapse  of  a  further  half -hour, 
the  visitor  mounted  and  rode  away. 

The  girl  stood  at  the  fence  till  the  sound  of  the  horse's  feet  had 
died  away  in  the  distance.  Then  she  walked  slowly  back  to  the 
house.  She  fastened  the  windows  down  in  the  spare  room,  ex 
tinguished  the  light  and  locked  the  door.  This  done,  she  crossed 
the  passageway  to  the  apartment  occupied  by  herself  and  grand 
mother.  The  old  lady  had  preceded  her  and  was  now  preparing 
for  bed;  but  the  girl  took  her  stand  again  in  the  open  doorway, 
as  she  had  done  in  the  early  evening.  The  night  was  pleasant, 
and  not  very  dark.  There  were  stars  a  plenty  in  the  blue  vault  of 
the  sky,  but  no  moon. 


A  Midnight  Alarm.  15 


CHAPTER  II. 

A   MIDNIGHT   ALARM. 

THE  girl  stood  in  the  doorway  and  looked  up  at  the  sky  and  out 
into  the  dim  night  for  some  time.  "Somehow,  I  feel  lonesome 
to-night,  Granny,"  she  said,  after  a  while,  without  turning  her 
head.  "  I  wonder  what's  the  matter  with  me  ?  " 

"  Go  to  bed,  go  to  bed,"  said  the  old  woman,  "  and  git  up  early 
in  the  mornin',  and  let's  have  breakfast  betimes." 

The  girl  made  no  reply,  but  continued  looking  out  across  the  lit 
tle  meadow  in  front  of  the  house.  She  could  discern  dim  outlines 
beyond,  but  no  objects  could  be  distinguished.  A  screech  owl, 
from  a  dead  tree  in  the  wood,  set  up  its  harrowing  cry. 

"  Heigho,"  said  the  girl,  after  a  silence  of  some  minutes,  "  some 
how  I  feel  lonesome  to-night." 

"  Go  to  bed,  go  to  bed,"  repeated  the  old  woman.  "  Thar  ain't 
but  two  ways  to  drive  off  a  lonesome  feel.  One  is  to  drap  off  to 
sleep  and  f urgit  it ;  t'other  is  to  lay  to  and  work  like  the  mis 
chief." 

"  What  was  that  Mr.  Pearson  said  about  the  robbers  breaking 
into  Lipscombe's  house  and  stealing  his  watch  and  money  ?  " 

"  He  said  they  done  it,  that's  all." 

"  Tramps  ?  "  inquired  the  girl. 

"  Niggers,"  answered  the  old  woman.  "  I  know  in  reason  they 
was  niggers.  In  these  parts  they  is  gettin'  wuss  and  wuss.  They 
always  would  take  little  things  when  nobody  wa'n't  lookin'.  Now 
they  break  in  at  night,  and  rob,  and  murder,  and  the  Lord  knows 
what.  I  dunno  what  the  country  is  a  comin'  to." 

"  It  was  last  Saturday  night,  he  said." 

"  Yes,  Sadday  night,  Sadday  night.  That's  the  devil's  own 
night.  Low-lived  folks  makes  out  to  kinder  behave  theyselves 
during  the  week,  but  let  Sadday  night  come,  and  they  loads  up  on 
mean  whisky  and  plays  the  wild.  Whisky  and  the  devil  go  to 
gether,  and  have  done  so  sence  the  world  begun." 


16  The  K.  K.  K. 

'  This  is  Saturday  night,  Granny." 

"  So  'tis,  so  'tis.  I  clean  forgot.  Wai,  mark  my  words ;  the 
next  time  you  read  your  paper  you'll  find  whar  some  devilment's 
been  did  to-night.  Thar  was  Abe  Statidfield,  for  an  insty,  a  ridin' 
home  on  a  Sadday  night,  and  shot  down  dead  from  a  cornder  of 
the  fence.  Johnny  Allbright  was  tuck  up  for  it,  and  it  went  pooty 
hard  with  him." 

"Did  they  hang  him?" 

"  Naw,  naw ;  naw,  naw.  They  seesawed,  and  seesawed,  'twix' 
courts  and  courts  with  him.  They  drug  him  here  and  thar,  and 
lawyers,  judges,  witnesses  and  clerks,  all  sot  on  him  more  times 
'n  I've  got  fingers  and  toes.  They  worried  him  till  his  head  turned 
gray,  and  atter  so  long  a  time  'mongst  hands  of  'em  they  got  all  his 
money  and  turned  him  loose." 

"  Is  he  dead  now?  " 

"  Dead,  child,  dead.  I  seed  him  atter  he  was  laid  away  in  his 
coffin,  and  thar  wa'n't  none  of  the  trouble  in  his  face  that  they  said 
the  lawyers  and  judges  had  writ  thar  while  he  was  passin'  through 
the  deep  waters.  Dead  and  gone,  dead  and  gone  these  many  years 
is  Johnny  Allbright,  like  so  many  more  I  have  know'd  in  this  sor 
rowful  world." 

The  screech  owl,  from  the  dead  tree  in  the  wood,  repeated  its 
tremulous,  plaintive  cry  again  and  again,  again  and  again. 

"  Come  to  bed,"  said  the  old  woman,  who  had  already  lain  down. 
"  Ye  ain't  a  goin'  to  stand  thar  all  night,  be  ye,  Sue  ?  " 

The  girl  stepped  back  into  the  room  and  closed  the  door.  She 
undressed  in  a  few  minutes,  knelt  down  and  said  her  prayers,  and 
retired  for  the  night.  There  were  two  beds  in  the  room.  Her 
grandmother  occupied  one  in  a  corner  near  the  door,  she  the  other 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room.  By  her  bed  was  a  window, 
which  was  often  left  open  on  sultry  summer  nights.  The  sash 
was  raised  now,  but  the  blind  was  closed. 

The  screech  owl,  from  the  dead  tree  in  the  wood,  kept  repeating 
its  mournful  cry.  At  regular  intervals  its  pitiful  plaint  broke  the 
stillness  of  the  night  again  and  again,  again  and  again. 

"  I  wish  it  would  quit,"  cried  the  girl  after  a  while,  in  the  dark 
ness.  She  had  been  endeavoring  in  vain  to  compose  herself  to 
sleep. 

"  Some  say  the  thing  sees  hants,"  replied  the  old  woman.  "  For 
my  part,  I  don't  believe  in  no  sich.  If  livin'  folks  will  let  me 
alone  I  ain't  afeered  of  the  dead  ones." 


A  Midnight  Alarm.  17 

"  It  makes  my  flesh  creep,"  said  the  girl,  impatiently.  "  I  believe 
I'll  go  out  and  shoo  it  away." 

"  Go  to  sleep,  go  to  sleep,"  replied  the  old  woman.  "  Don't  be 
skeered  out  of  your  senses  by  a  night  bird.  Screech  owls  has  been 
hollerin'  around  this  house  for  thirty  year  and  no  harm  ain't  befell 
us  yit." 

The  old  woman  dropped  into  a  doze  and  then  into  profound 
slumber.  The  girl  continued  restless  and  wakeful  in  spite  of  her 
self.  She  counted  a  hundred  backwards,  fixed  her  mind  on  un 
interesting  subjects,  tried  all  the  plans  she  had  ever  heard  of  for 
wooing  sleep,  but  her  faculties  remained  keenly  alive  to  all  that 
was  passing  about  her.  The  night  bird  at  last  flew  away.  Its  con 
stantly  recurring  plaint  came  no  more  to  startle  her  and  banish  re 
pose  from  her  pillow.  Other  sounds  familiar  to  the  night  suc 
ceeded,  but  these  smote  not  so  discordantly  upon  her  ear.  An  old 
cow  on  a  neighboring  farm  bellowed  a  long  time,  presumably 
for  her  missing  calf.  So  far  away  was  the  sound  that  it  was  mel 
lowed  by  distance,  and,  though  vexed  a  little  at  first,  she  was 
finally  soothed  by  it.  Fainter  and  fainter  grew  the  note,  till  now 
it  died  away  entirely.  Either  the  anxious  call  had  ceased  to  float 
over  field  and  timber  land  or  the  drowsy  ear  of  the  maiden  had 
grown  too  dull  to  catch  it. 

It  was  now  past  midnight,  and  the  occupants  of  the  old  house 
were  both  asleep.  In  the  immediate  vicinity,  and  through  all  the 
region  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  stillness  reigned,  broken  only  by 
the  usual  noise^  of  the  night.  From  some  lonely  farmhouse  the 
hoarse  bark  of  a  watch-dog  arose  occasionally  to  warn  unseen  in 
truders  away.  An  old  rooster,  safely  perched  among  the  pullets 
in  his  henhouse,  awoke,  crew  drowsily,  and  went  to  sleep  again. 
A  prowling  fox  near  by  turned  his  ear  toward  the  inspiring  note, 
hesitated  a  while,  then  trotted  off  down  the  deserted  road,  his 
stealthy  footfall  giving  back  no  sound.  Through  all  the  region 
of  the  Marrowbone  Hills  almost  unbroken  stillness  reigned. 

Suddenly,  penetrating  for  a  long  distance  the  quiet  of  the  night, 
the  shrill  cry  of  a  human  being  arose.  It  roused  in  an  instant  all 
those  upon  whose  startled  ears  it  fell,  for  it  was  unmistakably  the 
cry  of  a  woman  in  distress.  Many  of  those  who  heard  it  left  their 
beds,  and  in  more  than  one  habitation  opened  their  doors  to  listen. 
The  note  of  alarm  rose  the  second  time,  more  vehemently  than 
at  first,  but  abruptly  ended,  as  if  cut  short  by  some  violent 
agency. 
a 


i8  The  K.  K.  K. 

Now  the  sky  above  the  place  from  which  the  wild  cry  of  distress 
had  come  began  to  glow  faintly.  Soon  it  became  a  dull  red,  then 
brightened,  and  all  the  heaven  was  lit.  Long  streaks  of  light 
climbed  next  toward  the  zenith,  and  a  ruddy  blaze  leaped  high 
amid  a  thick  volume  of  ascending  smoke. 

Those  who  had  been  called  hurriedly  from  their  beds  were  at  no 
loss  to  determine  the  spot  from  which  the  flames  arose.  The 
old  Bascombe  house  was  on  fire. 


Swift  Retribution  Follows  a  Fearful  Crime.      19 


CHAPTER  III. 

'SWIFT   RETRIBUTION    FOLLOWS   A   FEARFUL   CRIME. 

"  HANG  him  !  hang  him  !  hang  him !  " 

The  captive  negro  struggled  for  a  while  in  the  midst  of  the 
crowd  of  infuriated  white  men.  Then  he  paused  and  gasped  for 
breath;  then,  by  a  sudden  wrench,  jerked  himself  loose  from  the 
strong  hand  that  had  gripped  his  collar  and  fled  into  the  darkness. 
Over  the  yard  fence  he  leaped  like  a  deer,  down  the  road,  then  out 
across  the  meadow,  scarcely  touching  the  earth  with  his  feet,  he 
fled  for  his  life.  His  wild  burst  of  speed  was  vain,  for  the  angry 
mob  was  at  his  heels,  their  determination  to  avenge  as  strong  as  his 
to  escape.  He  had  on  no  coat,  but  the  foremost  among  his  pur 
suers  seized  his  loose  shirt  and  snatched  him  violently  backward  to 
the  earth. 

He  was  a  slim,  black  fellow,  rather  undersized,  with  low  fore 
head,  and  manifestly  of  no  high  order  of  intelligence.  Whatever 
guilty  impulse  might  have  prompted  him  a  few  hours  before,  ab 
ject  terror  alone  possessed  him  now.  His  teeth  chattered,  his  eye 
balls  seemed  about  to  start  from  their  sockets,  and  his  hurried 
glance  from  side  to  side  showed  that  he  meditated  another  break, 
and  another  desperate  rush  for  liberty,  if  the  slightest  opportunity 
should  again  be  presented. 

It  is  wonderful  how  quickly  news  of  a  startling  nature  flies  in 
a  neighborhood  where  the  means  of  communication  are  slight. 
Scarcely  two  hours  had  elapsed  since  the  flames  took  possession 
of  the  Bascombe  house,  and  now  dozens  of  excited  men  were 
tramping  the  earth  about  the  place,  and  more  were  coming  in 
every  minute.  Those  who  first  reached  the  spot  after  the  alarm 
was  given  found  the  building  nearly  destroyed,  and  old  Mrs.  Bas 
combe  at  some  distance  away,  unconscious  from  a  fearful  wound 
on  her  head,  but  still  alive.  She  had  evidently  been  closer  to  the 
flames,  for  her  lower  limbs  were  badly  burned,  and  her  nightgown 
had  been  partially  consumed  by  fire.  Hurried  search  was  made 


20  The  K.  K.  K/ 

about  the  premises,  and  an  ax  was  picked  up  with  the  blade  all 
bloody.  This,  they  made  sure,  was  the  weapon  with  which  the 
fearful  gash  on  the  old  woman's  head  had  been  inflicted. 

Sue  Bascombe  was  by  her  grandmother's  side  when  the  first 
visitors  reached  the  scene  of  the  tragedy,  and  to  these  she  related 
with  singular  calmness  the  startling  incidents  of  the  night.  As 
she  lay  after  midnight  in  light  slumber,  she  was  suddenly  awak 
ened  by  steps  on  the  floor  of  the  open  passage  between  the  two 
lower  rooms  of  the  house.  The  next  moment,  without  prelimi 
nary  knock  or  demand  for  admittance,  some  heavy  object  was 
dashed  violently  against  the  door  leading  from  the  passage  into 
the  room  which  she  and  her  grandmother  occupied.  There  was  a 
slight  interval  and  then  a  second  blow,  more  violent  if  possible 
than  the  first,  was  delivered.  Old  Mrs.  Bascombe,  who  was  un 
commonly  active  for  one  of  her  years,  arose  and  made  for  the  door 
near  her  bed,  which  opened  into  the  front  yard.  As  the  quickest 
method»of  egress  for  herself  the  girl  undid  the  bolt  of  the  window 
close  at  hand  and  leaped  through  the  open  space  into  the  back  yard 
just  as  some  one  entered  the  room  over  the  fragments  of  the  shat 
tered  door.  She  saw  at  a  glance  the  outlines  of  a  man's  figure, 
but  it  was  too  dark  to  distinguish  features.  Not  knowing  how 
many  others  were  behind  the  intruder,  and  supposing  her  grand 
mother  had  escaped,  she  followed  the  instinct  of  self-preservation, 
and  fled  into  the  thick  copse  that  covered  the  hillside  behind  the 
house.  She  ran  in  her  bare  feet  over  the  rough  stones,  how  far 
she  hardly  knew.  Then  she  stopped  for  breath,  and,  as  she  did  so, 
heard  the  old  widow's  uplifted  voice  that  alarmed  the  neighbor 
hood.  Without  hesitation  she  started  back  to  her  relief.  Then  the 
second  outcry  arose,  which  was  quickly  suppressed,  and  for  a 
time  all  about  the  house  was  still.  The  girl  stole  softly  down 
the  hill  now,  till  she  almost  reached  the  yard  fence.  Flames  from 
the  burning  house  lit  up  the  «space  around ;  she  heard  hurrying 
footsteps,  voices,  and  the  bark  of  a  dog.  Determined  at  all  haz 
ard  to  ascertain  her  grandmother's  fate,  she  ventured  forward 
and  found  the  old  woman  lying  senseless  on  the  ground  a  little 
way  off  from  the  burning  dwelling.  No  one  else  was  near,  for 
ths  brutal  assailants,  whoever  they  were,  had  fled  from  the  scene 
of  the  crime. 

This  was  the  tale  Sue  Bascombe  told  to  those  who,  roused  by  the 
fire  and  the  wild  cry  in  the  night,  hurried  to  her  ruined  home.  She 
was  herself  barefooted  and  in  her  nightgown,  but  clothing  was 


Swift  Retribution  Follows  a  Fearful  Crime.      21 

soon  brought  for  her  from  the  house  of  the  nearest  neigh 
bor. 

Old  Mrs.  Bascombe  lay  out  in  her  yard,  unconscious,  and  ap 
parently  near  death's  door.  They  gave  her  whisky,  sent  off  for 
a  doctor,  and  applied  such  palliatives  to  her  wounds  as  were  at 
hand.  Little  else  could  be  done,  however,  except  to  stanch  the 
flow  of  blood  from  her  head  by  liberal  applications  of  cold  water, 
and  to  lessen  temporarily  the  pain  of  her  burns  by  the  use  of  wet 
bandages.  Presently,  under  the  influence  of  the  liberal  stimulants 
that  had  been  administered,  she  began  to  revive. 

"Did  they  ketch  him?"  she  cried  suddenly,  opening  her  eyes 
wide,  and  striving  to  rise.  "  Whar's  Sandy  Kinchen  ?  " 

They  crowded  about  her  and  listened  for  more,  but  the  effort 
had  exhausted  her,  and  she  sank  into  a  stupor  again.  A  man  at 
her  side  took  her  by  the  arm  and  shook  her  rather  roughly.  She 
opened  her  eyes  again  and  stared  at  him.  He  stooped  down  and 
asked  in  a  loud  voice  though  his  face  was  close  to  hers : 

"  Say,  do  you  hear  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  staring  blankly  at  him. 

"  Did  you  see  Sandy  Kinchen  ?  " 

"Hey?" 

He  repeated  the  question,  and  she  gazed  at  him  for  some  mo 
ments  longer.  Then  she  replied  in  a  low  tone,  but  distinctly : 

"  Yas,  I  seen  him." 

"  Was  he  here?    Is  he  the  man  that  done  this  devilment?  " 

She  had  sunk  into  a  stupor  again.  He  shook  her  by  the  arm, 
but  she  made  no  answer.  He  shook  her  again  more  roughly, 
but  she  only  uttered  unintelligible  words. 

"  Let  her  alone,  let  her  alone,"  cried  those  standing  around. 
"  Don't  worry  a  dying  woman.  Hang  the  man  that  committed 
this  outrage.  Catch  him  and  hang  him." 

Then  another  one  of  the  crowd  spoke  up,  addressing  Sue  Bas 
combe  : 

"  Did  you  say  you  heard  the  bark  of  a  dog  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  heard  that,"  replied  the  girl. 

"  Was  it  Kinchen's  little  dog?  " 

She  hesitated  and  turned  a  little  red  in  the  face.  "  I — I  thought 
so,"  she  replied,  "  but  I  will  not  say  that." 

"  Hang  him,  hang  him,  hang  him !  "  now  the  cry  arose  on 
every  hand.  "  Hang  the  scoundrel  that  did  this  murder !  " 

In  a  few  minutes  dozens  of  men  were  scouring  the  country  for 


22  The  K.  K.  K. 

the  negro  tenant  whose  name  the  old  woman  had  pronounced, 
and  whose  dog  was  known  to  be  his  close  attendant  upon  all  occa 
sions.  They  went  at  once  to  the  cabin  where  he  dwelt,  but  he  was 
not  there.  He  had  left  soon  after  dark,  his  wife  said,  with  the  little 
dog,  and  she  had  not  seen  him  since.  Presently  they  came  upon 
him  hiding  behind  a  tree,  not  far  from  the  spot  where  the  old 
woman  lay.  With  blows  and  curses  they  dragged  him  to  the 
scene  of  his  crime.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  some  of  the  more 
hasty  among  them  were  prevented  from  killing  m'm  on  the  way. 

The  widow  Bascombe  was  still  in  a  stupor  when  they  drew 
nigh.  The  doctor,  who  had  just  arrived,  felt  her  pulse,  and  said 
she  had  but  a  brief  while  longer  to  live.  Her  breathing  could 
scarcely  be  detected,  and  there  was*  no  speculation  in  her  wide- 
open  eyes.  Her  ghastly  wound  and  scorched  limbs  cried  aloud 
for  vengeance. 

The  infuriated  crowd  pressed  about  the  negro  and  strove  to 
snatch  him  from  the  few  having  him  in  custody.  "  Hang  him, 
hang  him,  hang  him !  "  cried  a  dozen  voices  at  once.  "  Burn  him, 
burn  him !  "  demanded  others.  "  Throw  him  into  the  old  house 
and  burn  him  to  death !  " 

"  Ho-ho-hole  on,  gin'lemen !  "  exclaimed  the  shaking  culprit,  as 
the  yells  of  the  mob  assailed  him.  "  Ho-ho-hole  on ;  hole  on. 
Ye  gwine  too  fast.  Ye  is  in  fack;  ye  is  in  fack.  Dis  here  ole 
lady — dis  here — dis  here  ole  lady " 

"  Tell  the  truth,  damn  you  "  cried  an  angry  man,  shaking  his 
clenched  fist  at  the  culprit.  "  What  are  you  stuttering  about  ?  " 

"  Yas,  sir ;  yas,  sir ;  yas,  sir.  I  is  gwy  tell  de  truf e.  To'  God, 
gin'lemen,  I  is  gwy  tell  de  trufe." 

"  Have  you  been  here  before  to-night  ?  " 

"  Has  I  been  here  before  to-night?  Has  I  been  here  before  to 
night?  Has  I " 

"  Can't  you  hear  ?  "  thundered  the  man  who  had  before  accosted 
him.  "  Speak  quick  and  tell  the  truth  or  you're  a  dead  nigger." 

"  Yas,  sir ;  yas,  sir ;  yas,  sir,  I  is  gwy  tell  de  trufe.  'Fo'  God, 
gin'lemen,  I  is  gwy  tell  de  trufe/' 

"  Have  you  been  here  before  to-night  ?  " 

He  looked  from  one  to  another  of  those  about  him.  Then  he 
lifted  his  voice  and  proclaimed  vehemently  so  that  all  might 
hear: 

"  To'  God,  gin'lemen,  I  has  not." 

"  The  widow  Bascombe  told  a  damned  lie  then  when  she  said 


Swift  Retribution  Follows  a  Fearful  Crime.      23 

you  had  ?  "  cried  the  exasperated  individual  who  was  interrogat 
ing. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  yes,  sir.  Ef  she  said  dat  she  tole  a  damn  lie.  Ef 
she  said  dat  she  tole  a  damn  lie.  Sho's  yer  born,  gin'lemen.  Sho's 
yer  born." 

They  dragged  him  toward  the  burning  house,  as  if  to  cast  him 
into  the  fire.  It  was  then  he  managed  to  break  away  and  flee 
for  his  life.  When  recaptured,  some  loudly  demanded  that  he 
be  burned  to  death,  but  the  less  savage  among  them  prevailed. 
They  tied  his  hands  and  took  him  some  distance  away  from  the 
spot  where  the  old  woman  lay.  They  found  a  deep  hollow  in  the 
wood,  known  as  Gallows  Hollow  to  this  day.  Some  one  had 
procured  a  strong  rope  from  a  neighboring  stable,  and  a  noose 
at  one  end  of  this  was  slipped  about  the  prisoner's  neck.  He 
was  lifted  from  the  ground  by  dozens  of  hands  and  placed  on  the 
back  of  a  gentle  horse  belonging  to  one  of  the  party.  The  animal 
was  brought  to  a  stand  directly  under  a  stout  limb  branching 
out  nearly  horizontally  from  a  scrubby  tree,  and  an  active  fellow 
climbing  up  to  this  limb  fastened  the  loose  end  of  the  rope  to 
it.  The  malefactor  sat  on  the  horse  shivering,  grimacing,  turning 
from  one  to  another  in  the  surging  mass  about  him  as  if  he  hoped 
to  find  a  pitying  face.  More  than  once  he  essayed  to  speak,  but 
the  voice  of  the  angry  crowd  drowned  his  own.  Finally,  when 
he  saw  they  were  about  to  lead  the  animal  from  under  him,  he 
broke  again  into  wild  and  incoherent  talk. 

"  Ho-ho-hole  on,  gin'lemen ;  ho-ho-hole  on.  You  is  fixin'  to  do 
the  wrong  thing.  You  is  in  fack.  You  is  in  fack.  Now  I'm 
gwy  give  you  de  trufe.  I'm  gwy  give  you  de  Gawd's  trufe." 

"Tell  it  then.  Tell  it.  Tell  it,"  came  from  a  hundred 
throats. 

"  Yas,  sir ;  yas,  sir ;  yas  sir.  I  was  dar.  I  was  dar.  I  drug 
de  ole  lady  out'n  de  fire.  Dat's  de  fack.  Dat's  de  fack." 

"  You  told  an  infernal  lie  then  when  you  said  just  now  you 
hadn't  seen  her,  did  you  ?  "  asked  one,  sneeringly. 

"  Yas,  sir,  I  did.  Yas,  sir,  I  did.  Sho's  dar's  breff  in  my 
body,  gin'lemen,  I  tole  a  infernal  lie.  I  tole  a  infernal  lie." 

At  this  a  great  uproar  arose.  Many  were  instant  with  loud 
voices :  "  Hang  the  scoundrel  !  Hang  him,  hang  him !  " 

"  Ho-ho-hole  on,  gin'lemen.    Ho-ho-hole  on,  for  Gawd's  sake." 

A  young  man,  apparently  fresh  from  school,  had  been  regard 
ing  the  prisoner  for  some  moments  with  painful  interest.  He 


24  The  K.  K.  K. 

seemed  to  be  a  stranger,  for  he  had  as  yet  spoken  to  no  one,  and 
was  dressed  with  more  care  than  most  of  those  about  him.  He 
looked  over  the  turbulent  throng  now,  and  with  some  hesitation 
lifted  his  voice  and  sought  to  attract  attention  to  himself. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  cried  in  a  loud  voice  that  trembled  a  little 
from  excitement,  "  please  listen  to  me  a  moment.  We  are  about 
to  do  a  very  rash  thing  here  to-night.  I'm  afraid  we  are  about 
to  do  a  very  rash  thing.  Would  it  not  be  well  to  make  a  thorough 
investigation  of  this  matter  before  we  take  a  step  that  cannot  be 
retracted?" 

At  this  there  was  silence  for  a  moment  or  two.  Then  some 
one  in  the  crowd  propounded  the  not  unnatural  inquiry :  "  Who 
are  you  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Robert  Lee  Templeton,"  replied  the  youth  in  a 
tone  that  showed  he  derived  some  satisfaction  from  imparting  the 
information.  "  I  do  not  live  in  your  county,  but  being  by  acci 
dent  in  this  neighborhood  to-night,  I  saw  the  fire  and  came  to  it. 
Now,  gentlemen,  I  submit  to  you  again  that  we  should  do  nothing 
rash  here  to-night.  In  so  grave  a  matter  as  this  we  should  pro 
ceed  like  sober-minded  citizens.  This  negro  fellow  most  probably 
deserves  hanging,  and  if  you'll  turn  him  over  to  the  authorities 
at  the  proper  time,  and  in  the  proper  manner,  he'll  get  his  dues. 
If  he  is  the  perpetrator  of  the  fearful  crime  committed  to-night, 
hanging  is  a  mild  punishment  for  him.  But  it  does  not  follow 
that  he  should  be  hung  right  up  here  to  this  limb  without  any  sort 
of  investigation.  For  us  to  take  the  law  in  our  own  hands  thus 
will  bring  reproach  on  the  entire  community.  Besides,  gentle 
men,  when  you  come  to  think  of  it,  you  will  see  that  such  a  course 
must  encourage  all  evil-disposed  persons  in  your  midst  to  bad 
deeds.  When  you  trample  the  law  underfoot,  you  teach  them 
contempt  for  the  law." 

The  young  gentleman  had  a  persuasive  manner,  and  a  clear 
voice  that  penetrated  a  good  way.  His  nervousness  added  to  his 
earnestness  and  drew  toward  him  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
crowd.  There  is  always  a  disposition  in  a  promiscuous  and  ex 
cited  assemblage  to  follow  any  one  who  chooses  to  constitute  him 
self  a  leader.  Most  of  those  present  on  this  occasion  were  moral, 
law-abiding  people,  not  inclined  as  a  rule  to  heed  rash  counsel,  but 
greatly  wrought  upon  now  by  the  shocking  crime  that  had  just 
been  committed.  These  were  disposed  to  listen  to  the  speaker, 
and  a  few  drew  close  to  him  to  catch  his  words  more  distinctly, 


Swift  Retribution  Follows  a  Fearful  Crime.       25 

"  Why  have  a  law  ?  "  continued  Templeton,  earnestly,  "  and  not 
live  up  to  it?  This  fellow,  I  say,  may  be  guilty " 

"  Thar  ain't  no  doubt  about  it,"  interrupted  a  voice  from  the 
crowd.  "  Not  a  bit — not  a  damned  bit,"  echoed  others. 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Templeton,  "  then  there  can  be  no  doubt 
about  the  fact  that  he'll  be  hung  by  the  sheriff  as  soon  as  his  guilt 
can  be  established  in  the  court.  Let  the  law  take  hold  of  him  right 
now.  Surely  there  ought  to  be  some  sort  of  deliberation  when 
the  life  of  a  human  being  is  at  stake.  Let  the  coroner  or  some 
legal  officer  take  charge  of  this  man,  swear  a  jury  and  inquire 
into  this  transaction  right  here  on  the  spot." 

"  What  do  yer  want  with  the  curriner?  "  inquired  a  rude  fellow 
in  the  rear  of  the  assemblage.  "  Thar  ain't  nobody  dead  yit." 

Templeton  looked  rather  blank  at  this,  and  another  individual 
in  the  crowd  undertook  to  enlighten  him.  "  Coroners  sists  on 
dead  folks,  young  fellow.  You've  got  to  have  a  corpse  afo'  you 
can  summon  a  coroner's  jury." 

At  this  a  laugh  arose  at  the  young  man's  expense.  It  was  evi 
dent  he  was  losing  his  hold  upon  the  fickle  crowd.  He  recov 
ered,  however,  from  the  temporary  confusion  into  which  he  had 
been  thrown,  and  was  about  to  continue  his  plea  for  deliberation 
and  more  thorough  investigation,  when  another  speaker  a  few 
steps  off  waved  his  hat  over  his  head  and  broke  in  vehemently : 

"  Why  are  we  wasting  time  here,  men,  listening  to  this  school 
boy  talk  about  turning  this  scoundrel  over  to  the  courts  and 
the  lawyers  ?  Who  is  it  doesn't  know  what  that  means  ?  Who  is 
it  wants  to  see  him  wrangled  over  for  years,  and  finally,  maybe, 
go  scot  free  on  a  quibble  ?  This  is  no  time  for  child's  play.  We've 
got  all  the  proof  we  need,  and  right  here,  right  now,  we  ought  to 
deal  with  him,  Has  the  old  Bascombe  house  been  burned  or  not  ? 
Has  the  good  old  lady  there  been  butchered  with  an  ax  or  not? 
Did  Sue  Bascombe  have  to  run  off  barefooted  to  the  woods  to 
escape  the  clutches  of  this  devil  or  not  ?  Did  old  Mrs.  Bascombe 
give  this  nigger's  name  to  us  or  not  ?  Did  his  dog  bark  and  give 
him  away  while  he  was  murdering  her  or  not?  What  are  we 
fooling  away  time  here  for?  Who  dares  to  talk  about  courts,  and 
lawyers,  and  dilly-dallying  now  ?  Do  we  want  our  homes  burned 
at  night  over  our  heads,  our  good  old  women  murdered  in  cold 
blood,  our  daughters  hiding  in  the  bushes  from  human  devils? 
Talk  about  wasting  a  lifetime  in  the  courts  over  a  case  like  this — 
haven't  we  got  sense  enough  to  deal  with  this  brute  as  he  deserves? 


26  The  K.  K.  K. 

If  a  tiger  was  loose  in  the  community  would  you  catch  him,  and 
take  him  to  the  law,  or  would  you  kill  him  wherever  you  found 
him  ?  I  tell  you,  men,  it  makes  my  very  blood  boil " 

But  they  stayed  no  further  question.  From  all  sides  came 
fierce  demands  for  the  negro's  death.  "  Kill  the  brute,  kill  the 
brute!  Hang  him,  hane  him,  hang  him!  Let  the  horse  go! 
Drive  the  horse  from  under  him !  "  These  and  other  furious  cries 
rent  the  air,  and  the  mob  surged  to  and  fro  like  a  storm-beaten 
sea. 

The  young  man  who  had  called  himself  Templeton  did  his  best 
to  lull  the  tempest  that  had  been  raised.  He  lifted  his  hand  high 
and  shook  it  vehemently  in  the  effort  to  obtain  once  more  a 
hearing.  He  lifted  his  voice  on  high  and  shouted  with  all  his 
might :  "  Hold  on ;  hold  on !  One  word  more.  Give  me  one 
word  more."  In  the  midst  of  the  tumult  there  seemed  still  a  few 
who  favored  moderate  counsel.  "  Hear  the  young  man ;  hear 
him,"  cried  one  or  two  persons  in  the  assemblage.  "  Hang  the 
damned  nigger.  Hang  him  ;  hang  him !  "  shouted  a  dozen  others. 

A  brutal-looking  fellow  here  forced  his  way  into  the  center  of 
the  tumultuous  crowd.  He  was  a  ruffian  whose  appearance  would 
have  attracted  attention  anywhere.  He  wore  no  hat,  and  his 
shaggy  head  of  reddish  hair  was  set  on  broad,  stooping  shoulders. 
His  dirty  matted  locks  almost  hid  his  low  forehead  and  his  scowl 
ing  eyes  were  so  badly  crossed  that  they  both  seemingly  never 
rested  on  the  same  object  at  once.  His  arms,  like  those  of  an 
orang-outang,  appeared  too  long  for  his  body  and  were  manifestly 
of  prodigious  strength.  In  his  right  hand  he  held  a  stout  branch, 
which  he  must  have  wrested  from  some  tree  as  he  came  along,  and 
this  he  held  uplifted  as  high  as  his  long  arm  could  reach,  giving 
vent  at  the  same  time  to  hoarse,  loud  cries,  as  if  to  strike  terror 
into  the  animal  on  which  the  pinioned  negro  sat. 

The  infuriated  crowd  noted  the  ruffian's  conduct  and  greeted 
him  with  a  yell  of  approval.  "  Strike  the  old  horse,  strike  the 
old  horse !  "  cried  first  one  and  then  another.  "  Hurrah  for 
Cross-eyed  Jack,"  shouted  others.  The  fellow  looked  about  him 
and  grinned,  flourishing  his  branch  at  the  same  time  in  such  a  way 
as  to  set  the  horse  nearly  wild. 

Templeton  implored  a  minute's  delay;  a  few  about  him  cried, 
"  Hold,  hold,"  but  the  ruffian  who  had  been  applauded  as  Cross 
eyed  Jack  brought  down  his  branch  with  all  his  might  on  the 
withers  of  the  excited  horse.  With  such  strength  did  he  wield  his 


Swift  Retribution  Follows  a  Fearful  Crime.      27 

long  arm  that  the  blow  was  heard  on  the  uttermost  verge  of  the  as 
semblage.  The  maddened  animal  plunged  forward,  nearly  over 
turning  the  man  at  its  head,  and  ran  until  it  was  halted  several 
yards  away.  The  desperate  negro  clutched  the  body  beneath 
tightly  with  his  legs,  but  at  the  first  bound  his  frail  hold  was 
broken,  and  he  swung  to  and  fro  in  the  air,  suspended  by  the  neck 
from  the  strong  limb  above  him. 

Templeton,  when  he  saw  what  was  done,  fell  back  from  the 
harrowing  scene.  He  Imd  a  few  others  who  had  urged  delay 
were  hustled  unceremoniously  aside,  while  the  ruder  spirits  of  the 
mob  crowded  to  the  front,  treading  on  each  other's  feet  in  their 
anxiety  to  view  the  death  agony  of  a  human  creature.  They  were 
not  bad  men — most  of  those  who  had  hurriedly  assembled  on  this 
occasion.  It  was  such  a  crowd  as  might  have  been  gathered  to 
gether  on  short  notice  almost  anywhere,  north,  south,  east  or  west, 
in  this  great  country.  They  were  fearfully  wrought  upon  by  the 
horrible  crime  that  had  just  been  committed,  but  let  the  whole 
truth  be  told.  Mob  law  had  more  than  once  of  late  been  resorted 
to  in  their  community,  and  brutalized  by  its  exercise  they  were 
eager  actors  now  in  a  scene  from  the  mere  contemplation  of  which 
they  would  at  one  time  have  shrunk  in  horror.  Man  in  the 
moments  of  his  loftiest  inspirations  may  be  a  creature  but  little 
lower  than  the  angels,  yet  the  fierce  instincts  of  a  rude  ancestry 
lurk  still  in  his  nature,  ready  at  any  unguarded  moment  to  drag 
him  down  and  make  a  savage  of  him. 

The  malefactor  died  a  lingering-,  apparently  a  painful  death. 
In  his  prolonged  struggle  his  feet  more  than  once  touched  the 
foremost  of  those  who  pressed  about  him.  They  stood  by,  for 
the  most  part  in  silence,  noting  closely  every  movement,  every 
contortion  of  his  suffering  frame.  A  few  had  savage  satisfaction 
at  the  pitiful  spectacle  depicted  in  their  countenances ;  a  few  wore 
painful  expressions ;  the  majority  seemed  to  be  animated  by  no 
stronger  feeling  than  curiosity  at  a  novel  sight. 

After  life  was  extinct  the  bystanders  gradually  fell  back  and 
separated  into  groups,  discussing  the  outrage  that  had  been  com 
mitted,  and  justifying  the  prompt  punishment  of  the  offender. 
When  the  space  immediately  around  the  corpse  had  thus  been 
cleared,  a  small  dog,  till  then  unnoticed,  crept  tremblingly  forward, 
and  crouching  humbly  under  the  negro's  feet  set  up  a  mournful 
howl.  Of  all  present  the  little  creature  was  the  dead  man's  only 
friend,  and  its  desolate  note  ascended  so  sorrowfully  that  it 
touched  the  hearts  of  the  rudest  spirits  in  the  assemblage.  The 


28  The  K.  K.  K. 

ruffian  known  as  Cross-eyed  Jack,  however,  seemed  stirred  to  un 
governable  rage  by  it.  Rushing  forward  with  his  stout  branch 
uplifted  he  aimed  a  blow  at  the  dog  that  must  have  ended  its  ex 
istence  if  it  had  fallen  as  intended.  Fortunately  the  little  animal 
became  aware  of  the  danger  in  time,  and  springing  nimbly  aside 
fled  with  a  yelp  of  mingled  rage  and  terror  from  the  scene. 


The  Old  Widow  Tells  a  Plain,  Unvarnished  Tale.    29 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  OLD  WIDOW  TELLS  A  PLAIN,  UNVARNISHED  TALE. 

DAY  was  breaking  when  the  mob  finally  dispersed.  One  by 
one  they  had  ridden  away  after  the  purpose  that  assembled  them 
had  been  accomplished,  a  few  only  lingering  until  the  reddening 
east  warned  them  off.  Before  the  sun  rose  the  last  loiterer  had 
retired  from  the  scene,  leaving  the  dead  negro  alone  in  the  woods. 

The  birds  now  began  to  twitter  cheerfully  and  to  spread  their 
wings  and  fly  from  place  to  place  in  the  forest.  One  perched 
upon  the  limb  from  which  the  lifeless  body  hung,  and  by  discor 
dant  cries  called  others  to  view  the  grewsome  sight.  As  the  day 
advanced  human  creatures  came  again  upon  the  spot.  Dressed 
all  in  their  Sunday  best — for  it  was  the  Sabbath  day — they  came 
now  in  groups  of  two  and  three,  gazed  curiously  at  the  suspended 
corpse  and  went  their  way  to  church  or  to  some  place  of  country 
pastime.  Little  boys  crept  .softly  to  the  spot,  supped  their  full  of 
horror,  and  stole,  open-eyed  and  open-mouthed,  away.  As  the 
noon  hour  approached,  the  number  of  visitors  so  increased  that 
a  path  was  beaten  from  the  highway  to  the  spot  where  the  dead 
man  with  his  arms  pinioned  swung  to  and  fro.  They  stood  about 
and  talked,  but  touched  not  the  body  of  Sandy  Kinchen ;  for  while 
a  mob  of  excited  men  might  hang  him  up,  none  but  the  law's  offi 
cers  could  take  the  responsibility  of  cutting  him  down. 

It  was  nearly  night  when  the  coroner  came.  He  rode  gravely 
into  the  assemblage  and  made  several  circuits  on  horseback  round 
the  corpse  before  he  dismounted.  He  had  been  notified  early  in 
the  day  that  a  dead  man  hung  in  the  woods  near  the  old  Bascombe 
place,  but  official  duty,  or  something  else,  kept  him  away.  Perhaps 
he  thought  if  he  responded  to  the  notice  too  promptly  he  might 
obtain  more  information  than  he  cared  to  possess.  Now  he  rode 
round  and  round  the  fatal  tree,  dismounted,  looked  into  the  faces 
of  the  promiscuous  assemblage,  and  said  it  was  a  bad  business. 
He  then  took  a  well-thumbed  New  Testament  from  his  pocket, 


30  The  K.  K.  K. 

swore  in  seven  of  the  bystanders  as  jurors  and  proceeded  to  hold 
an  inquest.  Numerous  witnesses  were  called,  all  of  whom  swore 
positively  that  they  knew  nothing  at  all  about  the  matter  in  hand. 
Most  inclined  to  the  belief  that  the  body  now  hanging  stark  and 
stiff  from  the  limb  was  the  body  of  the  late  Sandy  Kinchen,  but 
upon  this  there  was  some  divergence  of  opinion.  Some  said  it 
was  Sandy ;  others  said  no,  but  it  looks  like  him.  All  doubt  on  this 
point,  however,  was  soon  set  at  rest  by  Reuben  Kinchen,  brother 
of  Sandy,  who,  being  brought  to  the  spot,  testified  without  hes 
itation  that  it  was  the  corpse  of  his  younger  brother,  Sandy, 
swinging  from  the  limb.  The  coroner  then  prepared  his  return, 
setting  forth  the  fact  that  he  and  the  seven  jurors  had  viewed  the 
body  of  a  man  there  hanging  dead  before  them,  who  had  come 
to  his  death  by  violence  at  the  hands  of  some  person  or  persons 
unknown.  The  return  further  set  forth  the  fact  that  the  body  of 
the  man  so  hanging  dead  before  the  jury  they  found  from  all  the 
evidence  to  be  that  of  one  Sandy  Kinchen,  a  man  of  color.  All 
the  jurors  signed  this  report,  and  the  body  of  Sandy  Kinchen  was 
then  cut  down  with  the  coroner's  own  knife.  Reuben,  who  stood 
respectfully  by,  was  now  notified  that  he  might  take  his  brother 
Sandy  off  somewhere  and  bury  him,  the  law  being  through  with 
him. 

Perhaps  it  occurred  to  Reuben  that  the  law  would  have  been 
more  efficient  if  it  had  taken  hold  of  Sandy's  case  in  his  lifetime, 
but  if  any  such  notion  came  into  his  head  he  was  wise  enough  to 
keep  it  to  himself.  He  remarked,  as  he  gently  straightened  out 
his  brother's  legs,  that  his  mammy  had  tried  to  raise  the  boy  right, 
and  that  they  had  never  known  him  to  be  guilty  of  such  a  trick 
before. 

"  He  played  hell  when  he  did  make  a  break,"  said  one  of  the 
jurors,  "  and  got  just  what  he  deserved  for  his  conduct." 

"  I  ain't  'sputin'  dat,  sir,"  replied  Reuben,  meekly.  "  Dem  what 
sins  must  suffer." 

Then  they  fell  to  abusing  the  dead  man  in  the  presence  of  his 
brother,  who  responded  not  at  all.  When  they  laid  the  lifeless 
body  in  a  cart  to  be  hauled  away,  Reuben  took  off  his  hat  and  said 
to  those  present :  "  It  looks  bad  for  Sandy  now,  gentlemen,  but  I 
hopes  you  all  will  believe  me  when  I  tells  you  that  afo'  this  we 
never  know'd  no  wuss  of  him  than  that  he  would  go  meandering 
Up  and  down  the  country  of  nights." 

So  they  took  Sandy  Kinchen  off  and  buried  him ;  and  from  that 


The  Old  Widow  Tells  a  Plain,  Unvarnished  Tale.   31 

time  forth  he  meandered  no  more  up  and  down  the  country  of 
nights.  Whatever  might  have  been  thought  otherwise  of  the 
action  of  the  mob,  it  had  at  least  cured  him  of  this  reprehensible 
habit. 

Old  Mrs.  Bascombe  held  on  to  life  bravely.  The  doctor 
thought  when  he  first  saw  her  that  she  could  not  live  an  hour,  but 
she  lay  in  a  stupor  most  of  the  following  day,  muttering  and  bab 
bling  constantly,  and  occasionally  uttering  when  aroused  a  few 
coherent  words.  It  was  thought  best  not  to  attempt  to  remove 
her  from  the  spot  where  she  was  found,  and  a  tent  was  improvised 
of  stout  cloth  and  set  up  over  her.  The  young  man  who  had 
called  himself  Robert  Lee  Templeton,  and  who  seemed  to  be  a 
handy  youth  as  well  as  an  obliging  one,  attended  to  the  erection 
of  this  tent.  He  stretched  it  overhead  so  as  to  ward  off  sun  and 
possible  shower,  looped  up  the  walls  so  as  to  allow  free  passage  for 
the  air,  and  did  his  best  in  every  way  to  add  to  the  comfort  of  the 
desperately  stricken  creature  who  lay  underneath  the  shelter.  Sue 
Bascombe,  the  granddaughter,  and  most  of  the  kindly  neighbors 
took  a  fancy  to  him,  for  nothing  else  except  sympathy  and  gene 
rosity  of  disposition  could  have  prompted  him  to  the  course  he  was 
now  pursuing.  His  home,  they  learned,  was  in  an  adjoining 
county.  He  had  just  graduated  from  college,  and  some  errand 
of  business  or  pleasure  had  brought  him  into  the  Marrowbone 
Hills  at  this  time. 

As  the  day  advanced  the  old  woman  seemed  to  revive,  and  her 
mind  cleared  up  considerably.  The  physician  said  the  improve 
ment  in  her  condition  was  only  temporary;  that  for  the  present 
she  was  buoyed  up  with  fever  and  brandy,  but  in  a  short  time  her 
system  would  relax  and  the  inevitable  would  follow.  However 
this  might  be,  she  certainly  was  better  and  brighter  late  in  the 
afternoon  following  the  infliction  of  her  wound. 

Toward  sundown  she  called  for  food,  and  some  chicken  broth 
having  been  administered  by  her  granddaughter,  she  wiped  her 
mouth  with  the  sleeve  of  her  gown  and  seemed  disposed  for  con 
versation. 

"  Have  they  kotched  him  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  low  tone,  her  head 
turned  in  the  direction  of  Sue. 

The  girl  nodded  to  her  in  reply. 

"  Whar  is  he?"  inquired  the  old  woman.  "I  want  to  sec 
him." 

"  They  had  him  here  last  night,"  said  the  girl,  evasively. 


32  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Why  didn't  they  let  me  know  ?  I  wanted  to  talk  to  the  low 
lived  scoundrel." 

"  They  asked  you  about  him,  Granny.  You  talked  about  him 
last  night.  Don't  you  remember  ?  " 

"  I  wa'n't  in  my  right  mind,"  replied  the  old  woman.  "  Fetch 
him  here  now.  I'm  all  right  now.  I  want  to  see  him,  and  I  want 
him  to  see  his  work." 

The  girl  made  no  answer. 

"Has  they  jailed  him?"  inquired  the  old  woman,  again  ad 
dressing  her  granddaughter.  "  Wai,  its  all  right,  I  reckon ;  all 
right,  I  reckon.  I'll  be  thar  at  the  trial,  though.  You  kin  count 
on  that." 

She  looked  around  now  from  one  to  another  of  those  about  her, 
and  inspected  curiously  the  tent  that  had  been  erected  above  her. 
She  picked  at  the  light  coverlet  that  had  been  thrown  over  her, 
which  two  old  women  in  attendance  whispered  each  other  was  a 
bad  sign.  She  dozed  a  little,  then  roused  suddenly,  and  spoke 
again  to  the  girl : 

"  Sandy  is  a  good  nigger,"  she  said  to  her  granddaughter.  "  I 
tell  you  he's  as  good  as  they  make  'em." 

The  girl  looked  at  her  in  surprise. 

"  He's  as  good  as  they  make  'em,"  repeated  the  old  woman. 
"  Whar  would  I  be  now  but  for  Sandy?  " 

There  were  some  half-dozen  persons  in  the  group,  and  they  all 
eyed  her  inquiringly. 

"  Whar's  Sandy  ?  "  continued  the  old  woman,  looking  from  one 
to  another  of  them.  *'  I  don't  see  him  amongst  ye.  Thar  ain't 
no  occasion  for  him  to  be  makin'  himself  skerce.  He  didn't  make 
himself  skerce  las'  night  when  he  drug  me  out'n  the  fire,  and  he 
needn't  make  himself  skerce  now.  Fetch  him  here ;  I  want  ye  all 
to  hear  me  tell  him  how  much  I'm  'bleeged  to  him  for  runnin'  up 
at  the  nick  of  time  and  draggin'  me  out'n  the  fire.  He's  a  nig 
ger,  I'll  own  to  that,  but,  nigger  or  no  nigger,  I'm  beholden  to 
him  for  what  he  done  for  me,  and  I  want  to  tell  him  so.  A  friend 
in  need  is  a  friend  indeed,  as  the  school  chillern  write  down  in 
their  copy-books.  Tell  Sandy  to  step  in  here ;  I  want  to  see  him." 
him." 

A  portly,  middle-aged  matron — one  of  that  numerous  class 
whose  delight  it  always  is  to  impart  unpleasant  intelligence — here 
leaned  over,  and,  speaking  slowly  and  distinctly,  said  to  the  old 


The  Old  Widow  Tells  a  Plain,  Unvarnished  Tale.   33 

"  They  hung  Sandy  last  night  to  a  black-jack  tree  up  yander 
on  the  side  of  the  hill." 

"  Done  which  ?  "  inquired  the  old  woman,  as  if  unable  to  at  once 
grasp  the  full  import  of  the  words  she  had  heard. 

"  They  hung  him,"  repeated  her  informant  in  a  higher  key. 
"  They  hung  Sandy  last  night  sho's  yer  born." 

"  What  fur  ?  "  asked  the  old  woman  in  astonishment. 

"  Fur  murderin'  uv  you ;  and  a  burnin'  your  house ;  and  a  run- 
nin'  Sue  off  to  the  woods." 

"  Wai'  now,  ye  hev  did  it,"  exclaimed  the  old  woman  with  more 
strength  in  her  tone  that  they  thought  she  could  command.  "  Ye 
are  jess  a  passle  of  id  juts,  that's  what  ye  are.  To  think 
ye'd  hev  no  more  gumption  than  that,  no  more  gumption 
than  that." 

"  Mrs.  Bascombe,"  said  Templeton,  seeing  she  was  becoming 
too  much  excited,  "  don't  worry  over  the  matter.  You  are  not 
exactly  at  yourself  just  now.  We  did  hang  him  because  he  com 
mitted  an  outrageous  crime,  but  don't  trouble  yourself  now 
about  it." 

"  Ye  did  hang  him,  did  ye  ?  "  exclaimed  the  old  woman,  taunt 
ingly.  "  Wai,  I  'lowed  'twas  some  sich  smart  Aleck  as  you. 
Whar'd  you  come  from,  anyhow  ?  " 

Seeing  that  his  presence  exasperated  her,  the  young  man  re 
tired.  The  old  woman  now  looked  at  her  granddaughter,  and 
into  such  familiar  faces  as  she  saw  about  her.  "  Hev  they  hung 
him  sho  nuff  ?  "  she  inquired. 

One  or  two  said  "  Yes,"  others  nodded  their  heads  by  way  of 
assent.  Then  the  old  woman  railed  at  them  from  her  pallet  on 
the  ground. 

"  Ye've  gone  and  hung  Sandy,  hev  ye  ?  Wai  now,  s'pos  V  ye 
take  me  out  and  hang  me.  Ye  hung  him  for  draggin'  me  out'n 
the  fire;  now  hang  me  for  bein'  drug  out'n  the  fire.  Hung 
Sandy,  hung  Sandy!  Wai,  ye  are  jess  a  passle  of  idjuts,  the 
last  one  of  ye.  And  tell  me  what  ye  did  to  Cross-eyed  Jack,  will 
ye?  I  s'pos'n'  ye  turned  him  aloose,  and  gin  him  a  chromo." 

"  Cross-eyed  Jack  ?  "  inquired  the  woman  who  had  first  spoken. 
"What  about  him?" 

"  What  about  him  ?     No  wonder  ye  ax  what  about  him.     He 

bu'sted  my  door  open  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  sot  my  house  on 

fire,  split  my  head  open  with  a  ax,  and  skert  Sue  nigh  out'n  her 

senses.    That's  all  he  done.    So  now  jess  give  him  a  chromo, 

3 


34  The  K.  K.  K. 

and  turn  him  aloose.  Do  that,  and  then  come  finish  your  job  by 
hangin'  me  to  a  black-jack  tree  'longside  of  Sandy.  Jess  do  that 
now ;  do  that,  and  I'll  take  it  as  a  favor.  Go  'way  from  here,  all 
of  ye !  she  cried  with  sudden  indignation.  "  Go  'way,  I  tell  ye. 
I  don't  want  to  lay  eyes  on  none  of  ye  no  more." 

"  Granny,  Granny,"  said  Sue,  soothingly,  and  she  gave  her 
some  quieting  medicine.  The  old  woman  lay  in  silence  for  a  few 
moments,  then  she  spoke  out  again : 

"  Let  'em  go  away ;  let  'em  go  away.  I  don't  want  to  lay  eyes 
on  none  of  'em  again.  Betwixt  white  folks  that  don't  help  in 
time  of  trouble,  and  niggers  that  does,  I'm  on  the  side  of  the 
niggers.  Wai,  wal,  wal,  wal  !  The  idjuts  hev  gone  and  hung 
Sandy,  hung  poor  Sandy.  Hung  him  to  a  sour  apple  tree,  as  the 
sayin'  goes.  No,  it  was  to  a  black-jack  tree  this  time,  a  black 
jack  tree.  Wal,  wal,  wal !  " 

"  Mrs.  Bascombe,"  began  Templeton,  hoping  to  get  a  connected 
story  from  the  old  woman. 

"  I  don't  keer  to  hear  another  word  from  ye,"  she  interrupted 
emphatically.  "  Ye  needn't  speak  a  single  solitary  word  to  me. 
Smooth  talk  ain't  a  gwine  to  fetch  that  nigger  back  to  life;  so 
hold  your  tongue,  and  save  your  manners.  But  I  tell  ye  now, 
young  fellow,  some  things  kin  be  stood,  and  some  is  too  aggra- 
vatin'  to  be  stood.  Ye've  hung  a  good  nigger  for  befriending  a 
lone  widder,  and  when  I'm  up  from  here  I'm  going  to  have  the 
law  on  the  last  one  of  ye." 

"  Did  Sandy  Kinchen  befriend  you?  " 

"  Did  he?  Hain't  I  jess  told  ye  what  he  did?  Do  ye  want  me 
to  begin  at  the  fust,  and  tell  it  all?  Wal,  I  will.  Here  come 
Cross-eyed  Jack,  a  low-lived  scoundrel,  slippin'  up  to  the  house, 
with  me  dead  asleep,  and  the  gal,  I  s'pose,  a  cat-nappin'.  ^  Afo' 
anybody  know'd  what  he  was  about,  he  slams  the  ax  agin  the 
door  with  all  his  might.  Right  'pon  top  of  that  comes  another 
lick;  the  door  flies  open,  I  jumps  up,  and  the  gal  pops  out'n  the 
winder.  Bein'  young  and  spry  she  pops  out'n  the  winder,  and 
runs  up  the  hill,  I  make  no  doubt,  like  a  wild  turkey.  I  was  fust 
on  the  floor,  and  I  makes  for  the  yard  door  as  fast  as  I  kin,  as 
fast  as  ever  I  kin.  I  got  clean  out,  and  most  down  to  the  big 
road,  when  I  looked  back  and  seed  a  great  blaze  in  the  house. 
Mebbe  that  devil,  Cross-eyed  Jack,  drapped  a  match  accidental 
huntin'  about  for  me  and  Sue.  Mebbe  he  sot  the  room  a  fire 
a  purpose — I  dunno,  I  dunno.  He's  none  too  good  to  do  sich  a 


The  Old  Widow  Tells  a  Plain,  Unvarnished  Tale.    35 

thing,  and  I  b'lieve  he  sot  it  a  fire  a  purpose.  Anyhow,  thar 
was  a  bright  blaze  by  the  time  I  got  a  little  piece  off  from  the 
house.  When  I  seed  that  I  couldn't  stand  to  have  my  things 
burned  up,  so  I  turned  back  and  fetched  a  yell  to  'larm  the  coun 
try.  '  Hush,'  he  says,  '  you  old '  and  with  that  he  called  me  a 

bad  name,  which — bein'  a  church  member — I'm  not  a  gwine  to 
mention." 

"  Granny,"  interrupted  Sue,  "  you're  talking  too  much.  Be- 
quiet  now  a  little  while,  and  then  you  can  go  on  again." 

"  Never  you  mind ;  I  know  what  I'm  'bout.  Gimme  another 
taste  of  that  liquor,  gal.  Lawful  sakes,  whar  was  I  ?  Hung 
Sandy,  hung  Sandy;  yas,  yas.  Here  he  comes  bustin'  towards 
me,  and  he  calls  me  a  owdacious  name,  and  I  says  to  him,  '  I 
know  ye,  and  I'll  have  the  law  on  ye,  ye  cross-eyed  scoundrel.' 
Them's  jess  the  words  I  said,  and  right  at 

"  Granny,  Granny,  you're  talking  too  much." 

"  Never  you  mind,  gal.  I'm  a  tellin'  it  for  the  benefit  of  them 
that's  gone  and  hung  Sandy.  '  I  know  ye/  says  I.  '  I  know  ye.' 
With  that  he  raised  his  ax,  and  with  that  I  fetched  another  yell, 
and  with  that — Lord,  have  massy  'pon  me — he  hit  me  right  squar' 
on  the  head,  and  knocked  me  cold  as  a  wedge.  Then  I  s'pos'n'  he 
tuck  to  his  heels  and  leff  them  parts.  And  befo'  I  come  to  right 
good  I  thought  of  Sue  a  runnin'  from  that  cross-eyed  devil.  It 
was  on  my  mind,  on  my  mind.  And  when  I  come  to — laws  a 
massy,  laws  a  massy — the  house  was  a  burnin'  and  the  smoke  and 
fire  a  rushin'  out  at  the  door,  and  me  not  able  to  move.  I  reckon 
ye  wouldn't  a  liked  that,  none  of  ye,  and  yit,  that's  jess  the  identi 
cal  fix  I  was  in.  Presently  there  was  a  little  dog  barkin',  barkin' 
and  a  snifflin'  round  me.  And  presently  here  comes  a  feller  run 
nin' — I  heerd  him,  I  heerd  him — and  he  grabs  me,  and  he  drags 
me  out'n  the  fire  and  smoke,  and  off  from  the  house.  I'm  a  givin'  it 
to  ye  straight.  Whar's  them  that  hung  Sandy?  Let  'em  come 
forrards  and  listen.  He  was  a  nigger  feller,  this  here  feller  was, 
and  I  don't  in  jineral  bemean  myself  by  'sociatin'  with  niggers, 
but  this  time  I  was  glad  for  a  while  to  'sociate  with  niggers,  I 
kin  tell  you.  Whiles  he  was  a  draggin'  me  out'n  the  smoke  and 
fire,  and  the  dog  was  barkin',  barkin',  I  opened  my  eyes,  and  I 
looked  at  the  nigger  feller  hard,  and  it  was  Sandy  Kinchen ;  nei 
ther  more  nor  less,  nor  yit  any  other  pusson  but  Sandy  Kinchen. 
I  knowed  him  well ;  I  seed  him  good,  and  I  tell  you  'twas  Sandy 
Kinchen;  the  very  identical  nigger  that  this  here  young  smart 


36  The  K.  K.  K. 

Aleck,  and  a  lot  of  other  smart  Alecks,  has  gone  and  hung  to  a 
black-jack  tree.  And  the  little  dog  that  was  barkin',  barkin',  I 
seed  him  good,  too,  and  I  tells  you  'twas  the  identical  little  dog 
which  keeps  company  with  Sandy,  and  which  everybody  calls  Jin- 
eral  Beauregard,  sich  bein'  the  outlandish  name  Sandy  guv  him." 

"  Granny,  Granny !  " 

"  Lemme  'lone,  I  tell  you,  gal.  'Twas  Sandy  Kinchen,  I  tell 
you,  which  you  know'd  as  well  as  I  did,  and  never  know'd  no  spe 
cial  harm  of  him,  nother.  He  put  my  gown  out,  which  was  afire ; 
and  he  looked  at  my  head,  which  was  split  open,  and  he  seed  the 
blood  a  spurtin'  and  a  streamin'  every  whicher  way,  and  he  says — 
the  nigger  did,  I  heard  him  plain — '  Gawd  A 'mighty,  what  shill 
I  do  ? '  Then  I  says  to  him, '  Run  for  the  doctor,  Sandy,'  and  with 
that  he  run,  and  the  dog  run ;  and  I  hain't  seed  nary  one  of  'em 
sence.  Hain't  seed  'em;  hain't  seed  'em.  Did  they  hang  the 
dog,  too?  Now  I  wonder  if  they  hung  the  little  dog  to  a  black 
jack  tree,  becase  he  was  around,  and  jess  as  deep  into  it  as  Sandy. 
Lord,  Lord,  to  think  of  what  they  have  gone  and  did ;  jess  to  think 
of  it ;  jess  to  think  of  it." 

The  doctor  here  came  in  and  felt  her  pulse.  She  did  not  seem 
to  have  been  weakened  by  her  effort.  Indeed,  her  voice  was 
stronger  now  than  at  any  time  since  she  received  the  injury. 

"  Mrs.  Bascombe,"  said  Templeton,  kneeling  by  her,  "  you've 
surprised  us  all  very  much  by  your  story " 

"  No  wonder,"  interrupted  the  old  woman.  "  But  that  ain't 
a  gwine  to  git  you  out'n  the  scrape  you're  in ;  I  tell  you  that." 

"  Mrs.  Bascombe,"  pursued  Templeton,  "  are  you  perfectly 
certain  it  was  the  man  called  Cross-eyed  Jack  who  struck  you? 
You  may  not  be  living  when  the  court  meets,  and " 

"  Me  not  be  living  when  the  court  meets  ?  I  hain't  no  notion 
of  dyin',  young  feller ;  I  tell  you  that.  You  summons  me  to  the 
trial  and  I'll  be  thar." 

"  Could  you  swear  positively  to  the  man  who  struck  you  ?  " 

"  Kin  I  swar  to  him  ?  I'd  swar  to  him  on  a  stack  of  Bibles  high 
as  the  house  he  burned.  Hain't  he  worked  in  my  gyarden,  and 
Txmt  on  the  place?  Work,  did  I  say?  I'll  take  that  back.  He 
jess  only  piddled  'round,  and  made  believe  to  work.  Didn't  he 
make  bold  to  set  up  to  Sue,  and  didn't  she  snub  him  the  wust 
kind  ?  Didn't  I  have  to  turn  him  off  at  last  for  a  lazy,  cross-eyed, 
impudent  rascal  ?  Me  not  know  him  when  he  faced  me  last  night  ? 
You  summons  me  to  the  court  house  when  the  trial  comes  off,  and 


The  Old  Widow  Tells  a  Plain,  Unvarnished  Tale.    37 

I'll  p'int  my  finger  at  him,  and  tell  him  all  I've  told  here,  and 
more  besides.  I'll  give  him  the  whole  truth  right  to  his  ugly  face, 
and  he  dassn't  deny  my  words.  I'll  swar  to  it  all  before  judge  and 
jury  when  the  time  comes ;  see  if  I  don't,  see  if  I  don't.  You 
summons  me  to  the  court  house,  young  feller;  I'll  be  than" 

One  of  those  who  had  been  a  willing  participator  in  the  untimely 
taking  off  of  poor  Sandy,  here  asked : 

"  Why  didn't  the  nigger  come  back  to  you  after  he'd  gone  his 
errand?" 

"  Oh,  I  dunno,  I  dunno.  Mebbe  he  come  in  sight  and  was 
afeared  to  venture  up.  You  all  was  tearin'  round,  I  reckon,  mad 
as  blazes,  and  when  a  mob  is  on  a  rampage  in  these  parts,  the 
smartest  thing  a  nigger  can  do  is  to  hide  out.  Ef  I'd  a  been  in 
Sandy's  place  you  never  would  a  laid  hands  on  me,  I  tell  you  that. 
Whar  he  played  the  fool  was  in  lettin'  himself  git  caught." 

"  He  told  us  he  hadn't  seen  you,"  persisted  the  speaker.  "  He 
lied  about  having  been  here  at  all." 

"  Oh,  I  s'pos'n'  he  did,"  rejoined  the  old  woman,  impatiently. 
"  Ef  he  had  'fessed  to  being  here,  ye'd  a  hung  him  for  that ;  but 
he  lied  about  it,  and  so  ye  hung  him  for  lyin'.  You  was  bound  to 
have  a  hanging  that's  a  fact,  and  wa'n't  very  particular  whose 
neck  was  pulled.  Ef  'twa'n't  easy  to  ketch  the  right  man,  ruther 
than  wait  ye'd  string  up  the  wrong  man.  When  you  fellers  git 
started,  you're  like  young  dogs  on  a  hunt ;  you'll  chase  any  kind 
of  game,  jess  to  be  barkin'  and  runnin'." 

To  this  the  individual  who  had  provoked  the  old  woman's  sar 
casm  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  reply. 

"  The  next  time  you  all  gits  up  a  mob,"  she  continued,  address 
ing  him,  sneerlngly,  "  you  better  git  a  sensible  woman  to  head 
you.  Wimmen  is  jest  as  excitable  as  men,  but  they  ain't  so  bloody- 
minded." 

After  this  she  became  quiet  and  dozed  for  a  half  hour  or  more. 
When  she  awoke  they  gave  her  a  stimulant,  and  she  seemed 
calmer  and  more  cheerful.  Seeing  Templeton's  face  among  those 
near  her,  she  addressed  him  in  a  good,  strong  voice,  and  in  a  not 
unkindly  tone : 

"  I'll  be  at  the  court  house,  young  feller,  by  the  time  you  and 
Cross-eyed  Jack  gits  thar ;  don't  you  be  nowise  oneasy." 

"  You're  better,  ain't  you,  Granny  ?  "  queried  Sue. 

"  Yes,  I'm  better,"  answered  the  old  woman,  "  and  I  mean  tp 
keep  on  gittin'  better," 


38  The  K.  K.  K. 

She  remained  quiet  now  for  some  time,  and  then  spoke,  again, 
to  no  one  in  particular : 

"  They  was  bound  to  hang  somebody,  and  so  they  hung  Sandy 
Kinchen." 

Shortly  after  this  she  dropped  again  into  a  doze,  which  soon 
deepened  into  sound  slumber.  She  slept  and  slept  lying  quite 
still,  and  breathing  now  heavily,  now  more  and  more  peacfully. 
The  doctor  said  it  was  a  good  indication,  and  quietly  they  all 
slipped  away  from  her  presence,  lest  they  might  disturb  her. 
When  shortly  before  midnight  Sue  Bascombe  crept  back  into  the 
tent,  and  looked  narrowly  in  her  face,  she  had  joined  Sandy  Kin 
chen  in  the  land  of  the  leal. 


A  Grievous  Mistake.  39 


^CHAPTER  V. 

A  GRIEVOUS  MISTAKE  HAVING  BEEN  MADE  CERTAIN  WELL-DISPOSED 
PERSONS  DO  THEIR  ENDEAVOR  TO  RECTIFY  IT. 

THE  old  woman's  tale  spread  through  the  community  almost 
as  rapidly  as  intelligence  of  the  startling  crime  had  done  the  night 
before.  The  excitement,  which  had  begun  to  die  out,  was  kindled 
afresh,  and  by  nightfall  a  large  crowd  was  again  assembled  on 
the  ground  where  the  house  had  stood.  They  lingered  in  groups 
about  the  decaying  embers  and  discussed  earnestly  the  latest  de 
velopments  in  the  shocking  tragedy.  All  regretted  now  the  un 
timely  taking  off  of  poor  Sandy,  and,  as  was  natural  under  the 
circumstances,  nearly  every  man  displayed  a  disposition  to  shift 
the  responsibility  for  this  melancholy  blunder  from  his  own  to  the 
shoulders  of  some  one  else.  This  individual  never  had  acquiesced 
in  the  hasty  action  of  the  mob,  but,  being  timid  about  speaking  in 
public,  had  not  raised  his  voice  in  protest  against  it.  Another  had 
actually  spoken  out  in  favor  of  caution  and  a  more  thorough  in 
vestigation,  but  in  the  general  hubbub  that  existed  at  the  moment 
nobody  had  overheard  him.  Every  one  who  knew  anything  fa 
vorable  in  Sandy's  career  now  hastened  to  tell  it,  and  the  verdict 
of  the  previous  night  that  he  was  a  deep-dyed  scoundrel  was  re 
versed  almost  as  hastily  as  it  had  been  rendered. 

If  expressions  of  sympathy,  however,  had  now  taken  the  place 
of  execrations  in  the  case  of  the  unfortunate  negro,  exactly  the 
opposite  was  true  with  the  individual  known  to  most  people  there 
about  as  Cross-eyed  Jack.  This  fellow  had  been  one  of  the  ring 
leaders  in  the  frenzied  assemblage  that  had  done  an  innocent  man 
to  death  for  a  fearful  crime.  Not  only  so,  but  he  alone  of  all  pres 
ent  knew  the  man  was  innocent  who  was  being  made  to  atone  for 
the  monstrous  wrong  done.  This  Cross-eyed  Jack,  they  were  all 
agreed  now,  was  a  diabolical  scoundrel  who  should  be  compelled 
to  suffer  the  agonies  of  a  thousand  deaths,  if  such  a  penalty  could 
be  inflicted  upon  him.  What,  burn  a  dwelling  at  midnight ;  murder 


40  The  K.  K.  K. 

an  inoffensive  old  woman  in  cold  blood;  compel  a  young  girl  to 
hide  from  him  like  a  partridge ;  and  then  hurry  an  innocent  man  to 
death  for  the  crimes  he  had  himself  committed !  Do  all  this,  and 
expect  to  escape  the  vengeance  of  a  deeply  outraged  community ! 
Where  was  he?  Where  was  he?  Mount  your  horses,  you  good 
men,  and  hunt  the  scoundrel  down.  Catch  him,  catch  him,  catch 
him!  this  malignant  devil  in  human  shape;  and  hang  him,  draw 
him,  quarter  him,  burn  him,  send  him  out  of  the  world  as  soon 
as  he  is  caught  by  the  very  roughest  road  any  mortal  creature  has 
ever  been  forced  to  travel.  This  was  the  angry  sentence  entered 
up  against  Cross-eyed  Jack  as  the  infuriated  crowd  stood  around 
the  ashes  of  the  old  Bascombe  house,  and  contemplated  their  own 
work  of  the  night  before,  and  the  shocking  depravity  of  the 
wretch  who  had  been  foremost  among  them  in  the  enterprise  upon 
which  they  nearly  all  at  the  time  were  so  heartily  bent. 

The  villain  who  was  now  the  object  of  their  fierce  wrath  perhaps 
deserved  all  the  anathemas  that  were  being  hurled  against  him, 
and  more  besides.  In  appearance  he  was  such  a  man-animal  as 
one  may  imagine  roamed  the  earth  millions  of  years  ago  when 
human  beings  first  began  to  claim  ascendency  over  four-footed 
creatures.  In  disposition  he  was,  if  possible,  even  uglier  than  in 
face  or  figure.  No  human  being  is  perhaps  wholly  depraved,  but 
if  there  was  a  single  redeeming  feature  in  the  character  of  this 
surly  scoundrel,  his  mother  had  never  been  able  to  discover  it.  He 
was  of  foreign  parentage,  as  his  name,  Johan  Ankerstrom,  indi 
cated,  but  had  been  reared  in  the  lowest  quarter  of  one  of  our 
large  American  cities,  from  which  he  had  been  finally  compelled 
to  withdraw  because  his  frequent  infractions  of  the  law  had  placed 
him  on  too  familiar  terms  with  the  police.  A  few  months  before 
the  tragedy  at  the  Bascombe  place  he  had  drifted  into  the  Marrow 
bone  Hills,  and  wandering  about,  working  at  odd  jobs,  he  became 
known  by  sight  to  many  of  the  good  people  of  that  section.  His 
name  being  unusual — and  a  little  more  than  mouthful  for  some 
of  his  new  acquaintances — they  had  saddled  upon  him  numerous 
aliases,  such  as  Cross-eyed  Jack,  Dutch  Ankers,  etc.,  for  all  of 
which  'the  callous  Johan  cared  no  more  than  a  stray  dog  would 
have  cared  if  divers  appellations  had  been  bestowed  upon  him  in 
a  community  as  he  shifted  his  habitat  from  place  to  place. 

This  was  the  creature  then  for  whom  anxious  inquiry  was  now 
being  made  on  all  sides.  The  crowd  was  resolved  to  have  him, 
and  the  crowd  was  resolved  to  make  short  work  of  him  when  they 


A  Grievous  Mistake.  41 

did  get  him.  So  they  instituted  hasty  search,  and  up  and  down, 
and  across  country,  they  rode  and  they  ran.  They  picked  up 
scraps  of  information,  and  hastened  back  with  each  item  to  the 
surging  mass  of  human  beings  that  waited  for  the  capture  of  the 
miscreant,  and  grew  angrier  with  delay.  A  wagoner  had  brought 
Johan — Dutch  Ankers  he  called  him — from  a  cross-roads  village 
in  the  hills  the  evening  before,  and  had  set  him  down  not  far 
from  the  Bascombe  place.  Ankerstrom,  however,  when  he  left 
the  wagoner,  had  gone  toward  the  house  of  a  farmer,  named  Dot- 
son,  for  whom  he  had  at  one  time  worked  a  few  days.  He  carried 
an  ax  on  his  shoulder,  and  told  the  wagoner  that  Dotson  owed 
him  a  bill  which  he  wished  to  collect.  As  soon  as  this  news  was 
brought  one  was  sent  off  posthaste  to  inquire  into  the  matter,  and 
soon  brought  back  word  from  Dotson — who  was  an  honest  but 
cross-grained  old  chap — that  he  had  not  seen  hair  nor  hide  of 
Dutch  Ankers,  and  moreover,  that  anybody  who  said  he  owed 
him  money  was  a  liar.  This  showed  that  Ankerstrom  had  been 
loafing  about  in  the  neighborhood  on  the  night  of  the  crime,  but 
his  presence  at  the  mobbing  of  Sandy  proved  that.  The  wagon 
er's  tale  proved  further,  however,  that  the  fellow  carried  an  ax, 
and  this  was  a  strong  corroborating  circumstance — if  any  had  been 
needed — to  strengthen  the  narrative  of  old  Mrs.  Bascombe. 
Much  more  to  the  point  was  the  information,  brought  in  later, 
that  the  man  whose  appearance  was  so  much  desired  had  gotten 
dinner  on  the  preceding  day — Sunday — at  a  house  not  five  miles 
away  from  the  scene  of  the  crime.  After  dinner  he  had  laid  down 
under  a  tree  in  the  yard,  like  one  wholly  free  from  concern,  and 
taken  a  long  nap.  When  he  woke  he  went  off  on  foot  toward 
Nashville,  saying  he  was  going  to  that  place  to  seek  work.  From 
his  conduct  at  this  place  it  was  argued  that  the  house-burner  and 
double  murderer  was  under  no  special  apprehension,  and  might 
be  overtaken  if  prompt  pursuit  was  made.  He  no  doubt  rested 
under  the  assurance  that  the  blow  from  his  ax  had  rendered  the 
old  widow  forever  incapable  of  telling  tales,  and  the  execution  of 
the  negro  by  the  mob  would  leave  the  public  under  the  impression 
that  the  real  offender  had  been  punished.  A  half-dozen  men  now 
started  on  good  horses  to  apprehend  the  scoundrel  and  bring  him 
back.  These  were  specially  enjoined  by  the  large  crowd  that  still 
lingered  on  the  ground — for  they  were  coming  and  going  all  the 
time — not  to  despatch  Ankerstrom  when  they  caught  him,  but  to 
fetch  him  back  to  the  scene  of  his  villainy,  where  the  whole  as- 


42  The  K.  K.  K. 

semblage  might  have  the  satisfaction  of  dealing  with  him.  This 
was  late  at  night  and  many  now  stretched  themselves  out  on  the 
bare  ground  to  sleep  away  the  time  that  must  intervene  before 
the  return  of  the  squad  that  had  been  sent  forth  upon  this  mis 
sion. 

It  was  in  the  forenoon*  on  Sunday  that  Randolph  Pearson  first 
learned  of  the  terrible  tragedy  at  the  house  from  which  he  had 
himself  departed  at  bedtime  on  the  evening  before.  He  heard  at  the 
same  time  that  the  negro,  Kinchen,  had  been  hung  for  the  crime 
by  a  mob  of  indignant  citizens.  Riding  to  the  place  as  rapidly  as 
he  could  he  found  a  large  crowd  assembled,  the  dwelling  in  ashes, 
and  the  widow  Bascombe  dying  in  a  corner  of  her  yard  under  an 
improvised  tent.  Pearson  did  not  believe  in  mob  law  as  a  remedy 
for  any  evil,  and  even  under  these  trying  circumstances  he  plainly 
said  to  those  whom  he  suspected  of  having  been  members  of  the 
mob  that  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  turned  the  negro  over 
to  the  courts,  rather  than  deal  with  him  themselves  in  such  sum 
mary  fashion.  The  courts,  he  said,  were  slow,  and  sometimes 
there  was  a  failure  of  justice,  but  hurried  uprisings  at  night  af 
forded  but  a  poor  substitute  for  deliberate  investigation,  such  as 
should  be  had  when  the  life  of  a  human  being  was  at  stake. 
Moreover,  when  good  citizens  advertised  to  the  world  that  they 
had  no  faith  in  the  laws  under  which'  they  lived,  they  gave  to  the 
community  in  which  they  resided  an  unenviable  notoriety.  All 
this,  and  more,  said  Randolph  Pearsoi  calmly  to  his  neighbors  at 
a  time  when  every  one  supposed  the  negro,  Kinchen,  had  met  a 
just  fate.  That  night,  when  the  whole  truth  was  out,  and  it  was 
found  that  the  hasty  execution  of  Sandy  had  been  a  terrible  blun 
der,  Pearson  indulged  in  no  additional  criticism  on  the  conduct 
of  the  mob,  but  resolved  that  a  second  individual  should  not  be 
hastily  done  to  death  for  the  same  offense  if  he  could  avoid  it. 
He  was  an  earnest,  conscientious  man,  was  Randolph  Pearson, 
much  respected  by  all  his  neighbors ;  but  when  he  announced  the 
conclusion  he  had  reached  on  this  subject  he  was  met  by  a  storm 
of  indignation,  and  many  of  his  best  friends  withstood  him  to  the 
teeth.  There  should  be  no  delay — they  said — in  the  punishment 
of  the  scoundrel  whose  crime  was  too  black  to  admit  of  any 
thought  of  indulgence  in  his  case.  There  should  be  no  long  legal 
investigation  to  wear  out  the  patience  of  witnesses,  and  maybe 
result  at  last  in  the  utter  failure  of  justice.  Mobs  might  sometimes 
make  mistakes,  and  hang  the  wrong  man,  but  there  was  no  doubt 


A  Grievous  Mistake.  43 

about  the  guilt  of  this  fellow,  and  swing  he  should  to  the  very  tree 
on  which  poor  Kinchen  had  died,  just  as  soon  as  the  squad  that 
had  gone  to  seek  him  could  lay  hands  on  him  and  bring  him 
back. 

Day  broke,  however,  before  the  return  of  the  squad  that  had 
gone  forth  in  quest  of  the  murderer.  Many  had  left,  wearied  with 
the  long  delay,  but  others  took  their  places,  and  by  sunrise  on 
Monday  morning  the  assemblage  was  greater  than  it  had  been 
at  any  time  before.  Numerous  persons  were  now  present  from  a 
distance,  for  the  news  of  the  terrible  tragedy  at  the  old  Bascombe 
place  had  spread  far  and  wide  through  the  country.  All  waited 
impatiently  to  learn  something  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  mur 
derer,  but  for  many  hours  waited  in  vain.  About  two  hours  after 
sunrise  the  half-dozen  horsemen  returned  with  the  report  that  they 
had  scoured  the  country  for  the  missing  man,  but  had  failed  to 
find  any  trace  of  him  after  he  left  the  place  where  he  took  dinner. 
This  intelligence  was  most  disheartening  to  the  crowd,  but  not 
so  to  Pearson,  who  believed  with  diligent  effort  the  fugitive  could 
be  apprehended,  and  in  the  meantime  suitable  precaution  could  be 
taken  against  his  being  swung  up  by  the  mob  as  soon  as  he  was 
caught. 

It  was  necessary  to  act  promptly,  and  Pearson  resolved  while 
the  interest  was  at  white  heat  to  organize  a  band  of  determined 
men  who  would  aid  him  in  the  double  purpose  he  had  formed, 
first  to  effect  the  capture  of  the  fugitive,  and,  second,  to  see  that 
he  was  not  killed  by  a  crowd  of  frenzied  men  as  soon  as  overtaken. 
To  apprehend  the  criminal,  it  was  now  evident,  would  be  no  easy 
task,  but  would  probably  require  systematic  search,  in  which  it 
might  be  necessary  to  employ  skilled  detectives.  The  sheriff 
could  ride  the  county,  and  the  governor  might  be  induced  to 
offer  a  reward,  but  other  means  must  be  resorted  to  if  it  was 
expected  to  ferret  out  a  hardened  villain,  who  even  now,  no 
doubt,  was  making  his  way  secretly  out  of  the  country. 

Thus  said  Randolph  Pearson  to  those  who  were  now  more  than 
willing  to  listen  to  him,  and  it  was  agreed  that  a  meeting  should 
be  held  that  night  for  the  purpose  of  organization,  none  to  be 
present  except  twenty  or  thirty  active  men,  who  were  selected  in 
advance,  and  who  could  be  relied  on  to  render  material  aid  in  the 
contemplated  work.  Upon  one  point  the  author  of  this  plan  was 
compelled  to  make  some  concession.  Those  who  had  agreed  to 
band  together  were  divided  upon  the  question  as  to  whether  the 


44  The  K.  K.  K. 

fugitive  should  be  turned  over  to  trie  courts  when  caught  or  dealt 
with  by  themselves.  After  some  discussion,  however,  they  con 
cluded,  first,  to  work  unitedly  for  the  arrest  of  the  murderer,  and 
when  this  was  accomplished  to  leave  his  subsequent  disposition 
to  a  decision  of  a  majority  of  their  own  number. 

The  young  gentleman  who  had  given  his  name  as  Robert  Lee 
Templeton  was  not  among  those  who  had  agreed  to  organize  for 
the  purpose  of  apprehending  and  punishing  the  murderer.  He 
was  a  stranger  in  the  vicinity  and  could  not  have  co-operated  with 
the  other  members  regularly,  even  if  he  had  been  made  one  of 
their  number ;  and,  besides,  having  little  knowledge  of  his  charac 
ter  and  habits,  they  were  not  disposed  to  admit  him  at  once  into 
full  fellowship  with  them.  He  was  undoubtedly  a  whole-souled 
generous  young  fellow,  however,  and  a  task  was  therefore  as 
signed  him  which  he  was  glad  to  undertake  as  soon  as  he  had  re 
ceived  the  suggestion  from  some  of  the  older  citizens  present. 
This  was  to  ride  to  the  county  town,  a  dozen  or  more  miles  away, 
swear  out  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  the  murderer,  Ankerstrom, 
and  place  the  writ  without  delay  into  the  hands  of  the  sheriff.  By 
giving  the  law  officer  a  description  of  the  personal  appearance  of 
Cross-eyed  Jack,  he  could  make  sure  of  his  recognition  where- 
ever  found.  Templeton,  however,  when  this  latter  suggestion  was 
made  to  him,  declared  he  would  not  only  give  the  writ  to  the 
sheriff,  but  would  accompany  that  officer  and  help  him  arrest  the 
murderer  whenever  they  came  upon  him. 

Before  the  large  assemblage  dispersed,  Pearson  and  a  few  other 
charitable  persons  imposed  on  themselves  another  duty  which 
they  thought  was  demanded  by  simple  justice  under  the  circum 
stances.  Taking  advantage  of  the  sympathy  that  was  openly  ex 
pressed  for  the  innocent  negro  who  had  fallen  a  victim  to  mob 
violence,  they  sought  to  obtain  substantial  aid  for  the  family  he 
had  left  behind.  Kinchen,  .fortunately,  had  not  raised  such  a 
brood  as  is  usually  to  be  found  around  the  cabins  of  members  of 
his  race,  and  therefore  provision  for  his  family  could  be  the  more 
easily  made.  His  wife  Patsy  and  his  young  son  Pete  consti 
tuted  the  entire  connection  that  remained  to  mourn  him,  if  we  ex 
cept  the  little  fox  terrier  that  came  so  near  meeting  death  under 
the  same  gallows  tree  with  his  master.  By  heading  a  subscrip 
tion  list  with  a  liberal  donation  of  their  own,  and  going  first  to 
those  who  were  able  and  willing  to  contribute  generously,  they 
soon  obtained  a  fund  sufficient  to  buy  a  few  acres  of  hill  land  as  a 


A  Grievous  Mistake.  45 

permanent  home  for  Patsy  Kinchen,  widow  of  the  late  Sandy.  As 
the  opportunity  for  inquiry  was  favorable,  they  learned  also  of  a 
piece  of  ground  back  in  the  uplands  with  which  the  owner  was 
Willing  to  part  for  a  modest  remuneration.  This  little  tract  had 
timber  and  running  water,  two  essentials  in  that  locality,  but 
lacked  a  dwelling.  Numerous  individuals  who  sympathized  with 
the  object,  but  lacked  money,  now  came  forward  and  offered  to 
cut  logs  for  the  tenement,  and  give  a  house-raising  on  the  place 
one  day  during  the  following  week.  The  necessary  preliminaries 
being  thus  arranged,  the  bargain  was  struck,  the  land  paid  for  and 
a  binding  agreement  entered  into  for  the  erection  of  a  substantial 
log  residence  for  Patsy  Kinchen ;  all  within  less  than  forty-eight 
hours  after  her  husband's  unexpected  departure  from  this  world. 
.Sandy  himself,  while  a  sojourner  upon  earth,  had  come  to  forty 
years  or  thereabouts,  and  had  never  accumulated  any  property 
but  a  dog.  Viewed  strictly  from  a  business  standpoint,  therefore, 
his  wife  Patsy,  though  a  loud  and  sincere  mourner  at  his  funeral, 
was  not  seriously  a  loser  by  the  hasty  action  of  the  mob. 

That  night,  after  the  veil  of  darkness  enveloped  the  earth,  and 
most  good  folk  in  the  neighborhood  were  abed  resting  from  the 
fatigue  and  excitement  of  the  past  two  days,  a  score  or  more  of  en 
ergetic  citizens  met  at  a  designated  spot  to  form  the  organization 
that  had  been  determined  upon  in  the  morning.  They  met  out  of 
doors  because  the  night  was  pleasant,  and  they  wished  to  avoid 
the  notoriety  that  must  have  followed  their  assembling  at  any  farm 
house.  A  secret  organization  was  preferable  too,  because  by  this 
'means  undesirable  persons  could  be  more  readily  kept  out  of  the 
(association,  and  the  determination  to  overtake  the  murderer  and 
deal  with  him  as  they  saw  fit  could  be  more  easily  accomplished. 
As  very  often  happens  in  such  enterprises,  the  original  design  to 
iform  a  temporary  union  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  single  pur 
pose  expanded  as  they  conferred  on  the  occasion  of  their  first 
meeting,  and  they  thought  it  expedient  to  unite  themselves  into 
>a  company  of  regulators,  or  patrolers,  which  should  undertake  ( 
mot  only  to  bring  Ankerstrom  to  justice  for  his  offense,  but  also  • 
!to  take  some  steps  toward  bringing  about  a  more  settled  condition 
iof  affairs  in  their  community.  Lawlessness,  if  not  rampant,  had 
Igotten  to  be  quite  common  among  them,  and  negroes  were  un 
doubtedly  the  principal  depredators  as  far  as  minor  offenses  were 
concerned.  Now  and  then  they  were  unjustly  suspected,  as  was 
shown  by  the  terrible  mistake  in  the  Kinchen  case,  but  their 


46  The  K.  K.  K. 

peccadilloes  in  the  way  of  hog  stealing,  hen-roost  robberies  and 
the  like  were  sufficiently  well  established  to  make  it  expedient  if 
possible  to  put  some  kind  of  check  upon  them.  In  addition,  there 
was  among  good  citizens  in  the  community  a  growing  contempt 
for  the  law,  and  a  consequent  disposition  after  every  criminal 
offense  to  substitute  hasty  retribution  for  judicial  investigation, 
and  this  dangerous  tendency  needed  to  be  curbed  in  some  prudent 
manner. 

All  things  considered,  the  little  group  that  met  under  the  green 
wood  tree  on  this  occasion  thought  it  best  to  organize  a  band  of 
regulators  in  their  section,  and  as  they  cast  about  them  for  rules 
and  regulations  by  which  to  govern  such  an  association,  they 
could  stumble  on  no  better  plan  than  to  resurrect  an  old  society 
that  had  exerted  a  great  influence  on  their  community  shortly 
after  the  close  of  the  civil  war.  Times  had  greatly  changed,  but 
the  purpose  of  the  former  order,  as  generally  understood,  did  not 
differ  materially  from  those  now  sought  to  be  accomplished. 
Three  or  four  members  of  this  old  secret  society  were  present,  and 
from  these  all  the  grips  and  pass-words  were  obtained,  together 
with  the  substance  of  the  constitution  and  by-laws  as  well  as  the 
latter  had  been  preserved  in  faithful  memories.  Under  the  quiet 
stars,  then,  and  at  considerable  distance  from  any  human  habita 
tion,  the  mysterious  order  of  the  K.  K.  K.  was  revived,  its  ritual 
restored,  its  officers  chosen  and  solemnly  sworn,  its  members 
bound  to  secrecy  by  a  vow  so  dreadful  that  the  lightest  among 
them  would  not  dare  afterward  to  violate  his  obligation.  This 
done,  they  prepared  to  take  action  on  some  other  matters  they 
deemed  worthy  their  attention,  perfected  their  plans  for  the  appre 
hension  of  the  murderer,  and  rode  away  each  man  to  his  home, 
none  other  than  themselves  being  aware  of  the  fact  that  they  had 
assembled  at  all. 

The  dead  society  which  they  had  thus  galvanized  into  life  is 
perhaps  worthy  of  passing  mention  before  proceeding  to  the 
narration  of  what  transpired  subsequently. 


"  The  Clan  has  a  Name  that  is  Nameless  by  Day.0   47 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  THE  MOON'S  ON  THE  LAKE,  AND  THE  MIST  ON  THE  BRAE ; 
AND  THE  CLAN  HAS  A  NAME  THAT  IS  NAMELESS  BY  DAY." 

ONCE  upon  a  time  in  Tennessee,  and  possibly  in  some  other 
States  of  the  South,  there  existed  an  order  which  was  called  into 
being  no  one  knew  how,  created  a  great  stir  for  a  season,  and  then 
died  away  as  mysteriously  as  it  had  originated.  Its  aims  and  pur 
poses  were  widely  misrepresented  and  misunderstood,  for  while 
unique  in  its  organization  and  methods,  it  was,  in  the  principal 
object  sought  to  be  attained,  not  different  from  those  voluntary 
associations  which  good  citizens  in  many  parts  of  the  wide 
country  have  often  been  compelled  to  form  when  they  found 
the  law  im  their  particular  locality  insufficient  for  the  protection  of 
life  and  property.  The  order  of  which  I  write  was  known  to  the 
general  public  at  the  time  as  the  Klu  Klux  Klan,  or,  more  briefly, 
the  K.  K.  K.,  and  was  so  obnoxious  to  those  in  power  during  the 
carpet-bag  reign  in  Tennessee  that  it  was  a  penitentiary  offense 
to  belong  to  it ;  no  citizen  was  permitted  to  sit  on  a  jury  or  give 
evidence  in  court  without  swearing  he  was  in  no  way  connected 
with  it;  and  hostile  grand  juries  were  given  inquisitorial  powers 
in  the  effort  to  drag  to  light  the  conspirators  who  assembled  by 
night  at  its  summons  and  obeyed  its  unholy  mandates.  Yet,  in 
spite  of  all  this  terrifying  proscription,  perhaps  to  no  small  extent 
in  consequence  of  it,  the  midnight  society  grew  and  flourished 
apace,  and  during  the  brief  period  of  its  existence  exercised  a 
profound  influence,  at  least,  in  those  sections  of  the  State  to  which 
its  operations  were  confined. 

In  its  main  purpose — the  preservation  of  order  and  the  pro 
tection  of  life  and  property — this  society  of  the  K.  K.  K.  did  not 
differ,  as  I  have  said,  from  the  vigilance  committees  and  other 
like  associations  that  at  various  times  in  our  history  have  been 
openly  formed  in  many  of  the  States  and  Territories  of  the  Union. 
Its  grotesque  methods,  however,  its  peculiar  organization,  and  the 


48  The  K.  K.  K. 

mystery  by  which  it  was  enshrouded,  distinguished  it  from  all 
of  these,  and  gave  it  a  unique  place  in  the  history  of  such  popular 
movements.  Yet,  these  peculiarities  were  not,  as  may  have  been 
supposed,  the  result  of  whim  or  caprice  on  the  part  of  its  foun 
ders,  but  followed  necessarily  from  the  troubled  condition  of  the 
times.  The  emergency  that  called  the  association  into  life  was 
such  as  would  have  demanded  anywhere  the  banding  together 
of  orderly  citizens  for  their  own  protection,  and  yet  an  open  or 
ganization  at  the  time  was  impossible,  and,  had  it  been  possible, 
would  have  been  far  less  effective  than  a  widespread  secret  order 
whose  very  existence  could  not  legally  be  proven  and  whose  aims 
could  only  be  guessed  at. 

For  two  or  three  years  immediately  following  the  civil  war 
the  situation  in  Middle  Tennessee  may  be  fairly  described  as 
chaotic.  Nearly  all  the  white  men  there  capable  of  bearing  arms 
had  sided  with  the  South,  and  when  those  who  survived  the 
struggle  returned  home,  they  found  farms  uncultivated,  homes 
devastated,  cattle  and  work-stock  confiscated,  and  the  negroes 
emancipated.  More  than  this,  they  found  themselves  disfran 
chised  for  their  sins,  the  ballot  in  the  hands  of  their  late  slaves, 
and  William  G.  Brownlow  in  the  governor's  chair.  This  meant 
to  the  recently  disloyal  that  they  must  look  out  for  themselves, 
for  they  need  expect  neither  aid  nor  sympathy  from  those  in  their 
own  State  who  -now  held  the  whip  hand  over  them.  Parson 
Brownlow,  as  he  was  familiarly  termed,  had  been  a  noted  charac 
ter  in  Tennessee  for  many  years.  He  was  a  man  of  personal  in 
tegrity  and  of  active  mind,  but  seemingly  without  one  drop  of 
the  milk  of  human  kindness  in  his  composition.  As  editor  of 
"  The  Knoxville  Whig  "  in  the  ante-bellum  days,  he  proved  him 
self  to  be  a  master  of  invective.  Clinging  with  obstinacy  to  his 
own  views  on  all  questions,  through  the  columns  of  his  news- 

faper  he  berated  as  scoundrels  all  who  saw  fit  to  differ  from  him. 
f  he  had  been  domesticated  in  Middle  or  West  Tennessee  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  civil  war,  he  would  have  most  probably  out- 
Heroded  Herod  in  his  advocacy  of  secession;  but,  hailing  from 
the  eastern  division  of  the  State,  he  was  a  most  bitter  Unionist,  and 
literally,  by  means  of  his  paper,  "  dealt  damnation  round  the  land 
on  each  he  deemed  his  foe."  The  restoration  of  federal  authority 
in  Tennessee  found  this  honest  but  exceedingly  vindictive  old 
man  in  the  governor's  chair,  and  he  was  about  as  much  in  place 
there  as  John  Calvin  would  have  been  over  a  congregation  of 


"  The  Clan  has  a  Name  that  is  Nameless  by  Day."   49 

papists  or  a  devout  Catholic  ruler  of  the  sixteenth  century  over 
a  colony  of  heretics.  When  soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  a 
demand  arose  for  the  restoration  of  the  ex-Confederates  to  their 
civil  rights,  the  governor  of  Tennessee  replied  in  a  public  speech 
that  traitors  to  their  country  had  but  two  rights  he  was  willing 
to  concede :  one  the  right  to  be  hung  in  this  world,  the  other  the 
right  to  be  damned  in  the  next.  This  characteristic  utterance  at 
least  was  attributed  to  him  all  over  the  State,  and  taking  their  cue 
from  it,  the  Carpet-baggers,  scalawags,  and  such  disorderly 
negroes  as  these  could  influence,  ruled  the  roost  in  the  fairest  por 
tions  of  Tennessee.  They  terrorized  whole  communities,  and 
neither  life  nor  property  was  safe  while  their  sway  continued,  for 
none  looked  to  the  laws  as  then  administered  to  protect  good  cit 
izens  under  the  ban  of  disloyalty  or  to  punish  evildoers  who 
vaunted  themselves  as  friends  of  the  government. 

The  better  class  of  the  negroes  in  the  State,  to  their  credit  be 
it  said,  did  not  sympathize  with  the  lawless  element  that  prevented 
their  earning  a  support  by  peaceful  labor,  but  their  quiet  protest 
was  unheeded,  as  was  that  of  the  respectable  white  people  among 
whom  they  dwelt.  The  example  of  a  few  lawless  blacks  in  each 
community,  however,  soon  had  its  effect  on  others  of  their  race, 
and  the  idea  gained  ground  rapidly  among  the  recently  emanci 
pated  slaves  of  the  State  that  liberty  meant  unbridled  license  and 
the  freedom  to  do  as  they  chose.  The  times,  indeed,  were  out 
of  joint,  and  the  returning  ex-Confederates,  who  otherwise  could 
easily  have  mastered  the  situation,  seemed  powerless  to  restore 
order.  Nothing  could  be  accomplished  by  them  without  united 
effort,  while  any  open  attempt  on  their  part  to  organize  would, 
they  knew,  be  regarded  as  an  act  of  treason,  and  the  leaders  of 
such  a  movement  subjected  to  instant  arrest. 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that — whether  in  jest  or 
earnest  I  cannot  say — the  singular  society  known  as  the  Klu  Klux 
Klan  was  mysteriously  called  into  being.  The  general  under 
standing  now  is  that  it  originated  as  a  practical  joke  gotten  up 
by  a  few  mischievous  ex-rebels  to  frighten  negroes  and  other 
superstitious  persons  in  their  locality.  If  so,  the  authors  of  the 
plan  must  soon  have  been  astonished  at  the  startling  propor 
tions  of  the  edifice  of  which  they  had  laid  the  foundation.  Their 
queer  capers  and  ghostly  garbs  excited  the  terror  of  the  negroes 
and  induced  them  to  remain  indoors  after  dark.  Rumor  ex 
aggerated  their  pranks,  which  doubtless  were  mad  enough  in 
4 


So  The  K.  K.  K. 

themselves.  Their  example  soon  found  imitators,  and  before  a 
great  while  serious  men  adopted  the  fantastic  idea  and  sought 
to  apply  it  to  a  useful  end.  A  formidable  secret  society  was  or 
ganized,  numbering  its  branches  by  the  hundred  and  its  member 
ship  by  thousands.  The  strictest  secrecy  on  the  part  of  the 
persons  connected  with  it  was  easily  maintained,  since  none  of 
these  dared  to  avow  his  fellowship  with  the  order.  Ghostly 
raiment  and  extravagant  capers  were  found  to  be  really  useful 
features,  striking  more  terror  to  the  souls  of  the  superstitious 
Africans  than  could  the  substance  of  ten  thousand  men,  armed  in 
the  proof.  Perfect  order  throughout  the  entire  organization  was 
easily  preserved,  for  nearly  all  the  members  had  been  recently 
discharged  from  the  Southern  army,  and  their  leaders  in  the  main 
were  those  whom  they  had  followed  through  all  the  weary  and 
bloody  campaigns  of  the  civil  war.  Thus  it  came  to  pass  that 
almost  in  a  night  there  sprang  into  existence  on  the  soil  of  Ten 
nessee  the  most  powerful  and  thoroughly  disciplined  secret  so 
ciety  that  has  ever  been  known  to  exist  on  the  American  continent. 
Its  influence  from  the  outset  was  widespread  and  beneficent. 
Good  people  breathed  more  freely  when  they  knew  there  was  a 
klan  in  their  midst  able  to  protect  them,  and  the  desperadoes  who 
had  infested  the  country  in  most  instances  fled  before  they  were 
actually  apprehended  or  molested. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  organization  of  the  society  as  grotesque, 
and  this  was  certainly  true.  Not  only  were  the  most  astonish 
ing  performances  among  its  regular  exercises,  but  the  titles  be 
stowed  on  all  its  officials  were  outlandish  and  preposterous.  The 
head  or  captain  of  each  separate  band  was  styled  "  The  Grand 
Cyclops  of  the  Klan."  Above  him  was  another  official  with  a 
high-sounding  title,  controlling  a  dozen  klans  or  so,  and  over  all 
was  the  commander-in-chief,  who  was  impressively  styled  "  The 
Grand  Dragon  of  the  Realm."  Each  separate  company  of 
mounted  men  was  called  a  "  klan,"  and  the  men  in  the  ranks 
were  designated  as  "  hobgoblins."  The  true  name  of  the  order 
was  not  "  The  Klu  Klux  Klan,"  but  the  master  of  ceremonies 
usually  whispered  instead  on  initiation  night  some  very  long  hard 
word  in  an  unknown  language,  with  a  supposed  very  deep  mean 
ing,  which  all  were  forbidden  to  repeat,  and  which  none  ever 
could  remember  afterwards. 

The  peculiar  feature  of  this  order,  however,  and  the  one  that 
distingushed  it  from  all  similar  associations  that  I  have  read  of, 


"The  Clan  has  a  Name  that  is  Nameless  by  Day."   51 

was  a  standing1  judicial  tribunal  of  three  men,  which  formed  part 
of  the  organization  of  each  "  klan."  Without  the  order  of  this 
court — which,  if  I  am  correctly  informed,  was  termed  "  The 
Dreadful  Ulema  " — no  member  of  the  klan  could  be  punished  for 
infraction  of  its  rules,  nor  could  any  obnoxious  character  in  the 
community  be  made  to  pay  the  penalty  oi  his  crimes.  But  for 
this  wise  provision  in  the  constitution  of  the  order  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  many  hasty  acts  of  violence  would  have  been  com 
mitted  by  the  members  in  different  sections  of  the  State.  It  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  leaders  of  the  movement  desired  to  espe 
cially  avoid  the  commission  of  open  deeds  of  violence,  for  a  few 
such  acts  would  have  drawn  down  upon  them  the  condemnation 
not  only  of  the  State,  but  also  of  the  Federal  Government.  All  the 
operations  of  the  society  were  therefore  conducted  with  the 
utmost  secrecy  and  circumspection  and  its  members  at  all  times 
subjected  to  the  strictest  discipline.  If  one  was  arrested  whom 
they  thought  the  community  should  be  rid  of,  the  offender  was 
not  shot  or  strung  up  to  a  limb,  but  taken  before  "  The  Dreadful 
Ulema  "  for  trial.  The  proceedings  here  were  not  conducted  in 
the  actual  presence  of  the  accused,  and  were  usually  brief,  but 
extreme  punishment  was  never  inflicted  if  anything  less  would 
suffice.  If  tne  prisoner  was  discharged  without  bodily  harm,  as 
often  happened,  he  could  betray  no  more  than  that  he  had  been 
taken  at  night  by  a  company  of  very  queer  creatures,  had  been 
instantly  blindfolded,  and  had  been  released  after  a  while,  with 
the  injunction  to  betake  himself  speedily  to  some  other  part  of 
the  world.  Sometimes  this  injunction  was  preceded  by  the  lash, 
which,  you  may  be  sure,  when  ordered,  was  well  laid  on.  Some 
times,  in  very  rare  instances,  it  was  death.  Then  the  community 
knew  nothing  more  of  the  matter  than  that  a  certain  obnoxious 
individual  had  mysteriously  disappeared,  and  after  diligent  search 
by  his  friends  could  not  be  found.  Whatever  the  sentence  of 
"  The  Dreadful  Ulema,"  it  was  obeyed ;  and  without  its  deliberate 
sentence  none  were  ever  done  to  death  or  subjected  to  bodily  in 
jury  by  members  of  the  klan. 

It  may  be  inferred  from  what  has  gone  before  that  the  author 
of  this  entertaining  narrative  was  himself  at  one  time  connected 
with  the  secret  order  he  has  sought  to  describe;  and  while  he  is 
far  from  admitting  such  to  be  the  fact,  he  does  not  mind  stating 
to  the  generous  reader  that  he  was  at  a  certain  misguided  period 
of  his  life  an  open  enemy  of  the  best  government  the  world  ever 


52  The  K.  K.  K/ 

knew.  He  wore  the  gray,  the  author  did,  during  the  years  1861- 
65 — and,  by  the  way,  a  very  ragged  suit  it  was  he  had  on  when 
the  end  came.  Having  returned  home  in  the  latter  year  a  sadder 
if  not  a  wiser  man,  and  seeking  to  earn  a  support  by  tilling  his 
mother  -earth,  he  found  himself  in  the  very  midst  of  the  disorders 
of  which  he  has  made  mention  and  in  the  very  locality  where  hob 
goblins  by  night  did  cavort.  This  being  so,  and  the  author  being 
neither  deaf,  dumb,  nor  idiotic,  he  was  enabled  to  pick  up  a  few 
scraps  of  information,  which  he  now  with  pleasure  imparts  to  the 
curious  reader.  Following  the  usual  form  of  legal  affidavits,  he 
here  avouches  that  those  things  which  he  has  set  down  upon  his 
own  knowledge  he  swears  positively  to  be  true,  and  those  things 
which  he  has  set  down  upon  information,  he  verily  believes  to  be 
true,  and,  drawing  his  conclusiors  from  both  these  sources,  he 
wishes  to  go  further  and  make  the  deliberate  statement  which  is 
to  be  found  in  the  following  paragraph. 

Though  outlawed  by  the  statutes  of  Tennessee,  and  denounced 
in  their  day  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  no  associa 
tion  was  ever  formed  in  this  country  with  worthier  motives  than 
this  secret  order  of  the  K.  K.  K.  No  kindlier  band  of  gentlemen 
ever  assembled  after  nightfall  in  the  deep  greenwood,  or  rode  in 
queer  disguises  the  lonely  highway  by  the  friendly  light  of  the 
moon.  There  is  a  streak  of  humor  running  all  through  the 
southern  character,  as  plainly  discernible  to  the  eye  of  the  moral 
ist  as  a  vein  of  fine  metal  in  a  rock  to  the  skilled  mineralist.  The 
mystic  order  of  which  I  write  never  could  have  come  into  being 
anywhere  else  except  among  these  people.  It  never  could  have 
flourished  as  it  did,  mixing  serious  business  with  horseplay, 
except  among  these  people.  That  just  home  from  the  war,  with 
their  cause  utterly  lost,  and  wreck  and  ruin  about  them,  they 
were  able  to  extract  fun  at  all  from,  the  situation  shows  the  won 
derful  elasticity  of  the  southern  temper.  But  they  did,  and  their 
merriment  was  honest  merriment,  while  their  earnestness  of  pur 
pose  at  the  same  time,  and  along  with  it,  was  unquestionable. 
Now  that  the  queer  order  is  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  most  of  the 
ghosts  that  formed  its  ranks  have  gone  to  genuine  ghostland,  I 
hope  the  reader  will  pardon  this  effort  to  rescue  its  memory  from 
undeserved  reproach.  The  author  can  say  of  a  truth  that  while 
the  society  existed  in  his  locality,  he  never  knew  human  life  taken 
by  those  subject  to  its  mandates,  nor  any  man  robbed  of  his  prop- 


The  Clan  Has  a  Name  That  is  Nameless  by  Day.    53 

erty,  nor  any  woman,  white  or  black,  treated  with  disrespect. 
That  the  hobgoblins  when  abroad  were  all  armed  and  knew  how 
to  handle  their  weapons  is  not  to  be  denied.  That  they  were 
prepared  on  their  raids  to  repel  attack  and  meet  violence  with 
violence  is  not  to  be  denied.  That  they  were  determined  to  pro 
tect  their  homes  and  loved  ones  and  banish  certain  disorderly 
characters  from  their  midst  is  not  to  be  denied.  Fortunately, 
the  mystery  that  surrounded  the  order,  and  the  general  convic 
tion  that  it  was  a  powerful  and  resolute  brotherhood,  sufficed  in 
themselves  to  attain  the  ends  it  had  in  view,  and  this  achieved, 
the  members  quietly  disbanded.  The  dawn  of  day  was  then  close 
at  hand  for  Tennesseeans,  the  time  for  the  restoration  of  genuine 
peace  had  come,  and  the  secret  order  of  the  K.  K.  K.  disappeared 
from  public  notice  as  mysteriously  as  it  had  been  called  into 
being. 

So  it  came  about  that  when  Randolph  Pearson  and  his  com 
panions  met  the  night  after  the  Bascombe  murder  to  form  a 
league  for  the  preservation  of  order  in  their  midst,  they  adopted 
the  constitution  of  the  old  order  just  described: 

First,  because  they  found  it  ready  made,  and  were  saved  the 
trouble  of  cudgeling  their  brains  to  devise  another  that  might 
not  have  answered  so  well. 

Secondly,  because  the  younger  members  present  were  pleased 
with  the  fantastic  attire  and  gro^-esque  ceremonies  of  the  order 
they  were  about  to  revive,  and  hoped  to  extract  some  fun  from 
a  renewal  of  same. 

Thirdly,  because  Pearson  and  his  serious  comrades  expected 
much  good  from  the  clause  that  provided  a  permanent  court  for 
the  order.  If  this  tribunal  was  composed  of  temperate  men,  mob 
law,  in  its  most  offensive  sense,  would  be  banished  from  the  com 
munity.  The  new  klan  would  be  strong!  enough  by  prompt  action 
to  take  charge  of  all  persons  suspected  of  heinous  crimes,  and  no 
punishment  would  bo  inflicted  until  after  a  deliberate  hearing. 
When  the  murderer,  Ankerstrom,  was  apprehended,  it  would 
be  for  the  three  judges  to  say  whether  he  should  be  put  to  death 
at  once  or  turned  over  to  the  regular  State  authorities  for  trial. 
Pearson  was  fully  resolved  that,  if  possible,  the  latter  course 
should  be  pursued.  He  knew  the  infuriated  people  of  his  vicinity 
were  bent  on  stringing  the  wretch  up  as  soon  as  they  laid  hands 
on  him,  but  he  made  up  his  mind  that  when  even  so  despicable 


54  The  K.  K.K. 

a  villain  came  to  pay  the  penalty  of  his  crimes,  the  sheriff  of  the 
county,  and  none  other,  should  act  as  hangman. 

It  was  therefore  with  satisfaction  that  Randolph  Pearson,  when 
the  organization  was  effected,  accepted  the  position  of  chief  of  the 
advisory  court  of  the  klan,  which  was  unanimously  tendered  him. 


Mr.  Templeton  Comes  Near  Forgetting  His  Errand.  55 


CHAPTER  VII. 

YOUNG  MR.  TEMPLETON  SALLIES  FORTH  TO  UPHOLD  THE  MAJESTY 
OF  THE  LAW,  BUT  COMES  NEAR  FORGETTING  THE  ERRAND  UPON 
WHICH  HE  IS  BENT. 

TEMPLETON,  riding*  at  a  brisk  gait,  covered  the  distance  he  had 
to  travel  in  about  three  hours,  and  reached  the  county  seat  before 
noon.  Going1  at  once  to  the  jail — which  contained  apartments 
for  the  sheriff's  family,  he  found  the  officer  away,  but  his  wife,  a 
pleasant  spoken  woman,  said  he  would  return  sometime  during 
the  day.  Thinking  it  advisable  to  await  his  coming,  the  young 
man  proceeded  uptown,  and  making  the  necessary  affidavit,  pro 
cured  a  warrant  of  arrest  from  a  justice  of  the  peace  against  the 
absconding  murderer.  Placing  this  in  his  pocket  so  as  to  have 
it  in  readiness  when  the  sheriff  returned,  he  next  inquired  for  the 
newspaper  office  of  the  village.  It  was  only  a  few  yards  further 
off,  on  the  same  street,  and  dropping  in,  he  found  a  little  old  dried- 
up  man  perched  upon  a  high  stool  setting  type.  As  there  was 
no  other  occupant  of  the  room,  Templeton  bowed  to  this  indivi 
dual  and  politely  inquired  for  the  editor. 

"  I'm  him,"  replied  the  person  addressed,  without  for  a  moment 
suspending  the  business  he  was  at. 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Templeton,  politely,  "  I  mistook  you  for 
the  printer." 

"  I'm  him  too,"  said  the  dried-up  man  on  the  high  stool,  pro 
ceeding  calmly  with  his  work. 

"  Oh,"  said  Templeton,  "  I  see  how  it  is.  So  you  are  both 
editor  and  printer,  are  you  ?  " 

"  I'm  the  whole  push,"  said  the  little  dried-up  man,  taking  off 
his  spectacles  now  and  wiping  them  with  his  handkerchief.  "  I'm 
the  establishment,  that's  what  I  am,"  and  he  came  down  from  his 
stool,  and  walking  up  quite  close  to  where  Templeton  stood,  he 
viewed  him  critically.  His  manner  would  have  been  impertinent 


56  The  K.  K.  K. 

had  not  the  visitor  recognized  it  as  that  of  a  man  who  was  at  the 
same  time  both  near-sighted  and  habitually  on  the  hunt  of  an 
item. 

"  Whar  you  from  ?  "  inquired  the  dried-up  man,  approaching 
as  close  to  Templeton  as  he  could  without  treading  on  the  latter's 
toes.  "What's  the  news?" 

"  I  thought  possibly,"  answered  the  visitor,  "  that  you  might 
wish  to  know  something  about  the  Bascombe  murder." 

"  And  the  hanging  of  that  nigger  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Got  it  all  set  up.  Paper  be  out  to-morrow.  Full  confession 
and  everything.  Whole  thing  in  to-morrow's  issue.  Price,  five 
cents." 

"  Whose  confession  have  you  got  in  the  paper  ?  "  asked  Tem 
pleton,  turning  interrogator. 

"The  nigger's,  of  course.     Whose  else  could  it  be?" 

"How  do  you  know  he  confessed?" 

"  Oh,  they  always  do ;  and  if  they  don't,  we  fix  up  one  for  'em. 
Part  of  our  business,  you  know.  We  fix  up  one  for  'em  and  we 
fix  it  up  right.  The  fellow  that's  hung  ain't  in  a  position  to  dis 
pute  a  word  of  it,  and  the  fellows  that  hung  him  they  feel  vindi 
cated,  and  are  well  pleased,  and  come  round  and  subscribe  for  the 
paper — see  ?  " 

"  But,  the  fact  is,"  said  Templeton,  "  the  negro  did  not  confess 
in  this  case,  as  everybody  knows.  He  died  protesting  his  inno 
cence,  and  the  old  lady,  Mrs.  Bascombe,  revived  before  her  death 
and  charged  another  man  with  her  murder." 

The  little  old  dried-up  man  who  said  he  was  the  establishment 
here  seized  Templeton  by  the  arm,  and,  without  a  word,  dragged 
him  to  the  rear  of  the  room. 

"  How's  that  ?  how's  that  ?  "  then  inquired  the  little  dried-up 
man,  cocking  his  ear  round  curiously  at  the  speaker. 

"  The  negro  made  no  confession ;  and  the  old  woman  before  she 
died  charged  a  white  man  with  her  murder." 

The  editor  forced  him  to  be  seated  on  an  inverted  goods  box 
that  stood  near  a  dingy  window.  Taking  a  stool  himself  on  the 
opposite  side,  he  seized  a  lead  pencil  and  some  sheets  of  crumpled 
paper  that  were  lying  loose  upon  the  box.  "  Now  go,"  he  said 
to  Templeton,  when  these  hurried  preparations  were  complete. 

The  visitor  understood  by  this  that  he  was  to  proceed  with  his 
tale,  which  he  did  in  a  plain,  straightforward  way,  and  the  com- 


Mr.  Templeton  Comes  Near  Forgetting  His  Errand.  57 

bined  editor  and  printer  dashed  ahead,  covering  sheet  after  sheet 
of  paper,  and  so  amplifying  the  details  that  Templeton  hardly  rec 
ognized  them  when  the  story  came  out  in  print  twenty-four 
hours  later.  When  he  finished — and  he  wrote  more  rapidly  than 
the  speaker  could  dictate — Templeton  handed  him  a  dollar  and 
asked  him  to  mail  copies  of  his  paper  to  different  parts  of  the 
country,  in  order  that  the  public  might  be  put  on  the  watch  for 
the  murderer.  The  dried-up  man  pocketed  the  dollar  cheerfully, 
and,  following  his  visitor  to  the  door,  informed  him  confiden 
tially  that  just  back  of  the  town  there  was  as  good  a  tree  for  the 
hanging  business  as  heart  could  wish,  and  when  the  real  villain 
was  caught  he  would  take  pleasure  in  pointing  it  out.  "  I'll  make 
it  all  right  and  regular,"  he  said  to  Templeton.  "  Startling  con 
fession — mob  completely  vindicated.  Tell  'em  to  have  no  fear 
on  that  score." 

Templeton  thanked  him  for  his  kindly  assurance,  and,  having 
no  further  business  in  the  newspaper  line,  sought  to  amuse  him 
self  by  another  stroll  up  and  down  the  streets  while  awaiting  the 
return  of  the  law  officer.  Desiring  to  interest  as  many  persons 
as  possible  in  the  capture  of  the  murderer,  he  told  the  story  of 
the  crime  to  more  than  one  group  of  listeners,  and  soon  the  whole 
village  was  familiar  with  the  facts. 

About  sundown  the  sheriff  came  jogging  into  town  on  a  flea- 
bitten  gray  horse  and  the  warrant  of  arrest  was  handed  him. 
When  he  had  read  it  he  alighted  in  front  of  the  store  of  Dixon  & 
Dix — he  had  been  halted  as  he  was  passing  there — and,  with  the 
bridle  rein  over  his  arm,  perused  the  document  again.  Having 
inspected  it  sufficiently,  he  looked  around  over  the  little  group 
that  had  gathered  about  him  and  remarked: 

"  Well,  consarn  that  fellow ;  I  met  him  just  now  in  the  road." 

"  Where  ?  Where  ?  "  inquired  several  of  the  bystanders  at 
once. 

The  sheriff  was  a  tall,  thin  man  of  serious  demeanor  and  slow 
spoken.  He  might  have  been  mistaken  for  a  preacher  but  for 
the  fact  that  most  of  the  preachers  in  those  parts  were  Methodist 
circuit  riders  who  were  not  of  austere  deportment,  but  usually 
chipper  and  free  with  their  jokes.  Sanderson — that  was  the 
sheriff's  name — was  a  man  of  subdued  manner,  and  though  not 
unsociable  or  uncommunicative,  was  inclined  to  take  life  sol 
emnly. 

"  Where  did  you  meet  him  ?  "  they  inquired  again. 


58  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Back  yonder  in  the  road,"  replied  the  sheriff,  meditatively, 
turning  the  paper  over  in  his  hand  as  he  spoke. 

"What  did  he  say?" 

"  Nothin'  much,  nothin'  much.  We  howdied,  and  talked  a  little 
about  one  thing  and  another  Well,  consLrn  that  fellow."  The 
sheriff  here  whistled  softly  between  his  teeth  for  a  while  and 
then  inquired :  "  Who  swore  out  this  warrant,  anyhow  ?  Who 
is  R.  L.  Templeton  ?  I  thought  I  knew  every  man  in  the  county, 
but  he's  a  new  one  on  me." 

"  I'm  Robert  Lee  Templeton,"  said  the  young  gentleman, 
coming  to  the  front.  "  I  swore  out  that  warrant." 

"  You  swore  it  out  ?  " 

"  Yes,  on  the  statement  of  the  old  lady,  Mrs.  Bascombe." 

"  This  nigger  that  was  hung,"  said  the  sheriff,  eying  him 
critically,  "  what  did  he  have  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  Nothing  in  the  world,"  the  young  man  answered.  "  He  was 
hung  under  a  mistake.  There  was  great  excitement,  and  no 
legal  officer  to  take  charge  of  the  investigation,  so  they  hung  him 
without  inquiring  fully  into  the  matter.  It  was  just  an  excited 
mob,  with  nobody  especially  in  control.  I  was  there,  and " 

The  sheriff  looked  at  him  inquisitively. 

"  I  was  there,"  pursued  Templeton,  "  but  I  didn't  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  the  hanging.  I — I,  in  fact,  was  opposed  to  it." 

"  You  stick  to  that,  young  man,"  said  the  sheriff,  gravely, 
''because  there's  a  law  in  this  country." 

Templeton  hesitated  at  this  and  displayed  some  embarrassment. 
He  was  among  strangers,  and  could  not  tell  what  construction 
they  might  put  on  his  admission. 

"  You  just  happened  in,  I  s'pose,"  suggested  the  sheriff,  "  not 
knowin'  what  was  on  the  bills  ?  " 

"  That  was  just  about  the  way  of  it,"  replied  Templeton. 

"  And  being  there  from  curiosity,  or  in  some  such  fashion,  you 
was  bound  to  see  things  without  takin'  a  hand  in  'em  ?  " 

Templeton  acquiesced  in  this,  feeling  that  it  did  not  express 
the  entire  truth,  but  was  sufficient  for  the  occasion. 

"  Now,  you  stick  to  that,"  said  the  sheriff,  raising  a  long  fore 
finger  and  pointing  it  at  him  warningly,  "  because  there's  a  law 
in  this  country." 

Those  present  eyed  the  young  man  closely,  and  several  nodded 
gravely  to  signify  that  the  sheriff  had  given  him  good  advice, 
which  it  would  be  well  for  him  to  heed. 


Mr.  Templeton  Comes  Near  Forgetting  His  Errand.  59 

After  whistling  again  for  a  little  while  softly  between  his  teeth, 
the  officer  remounted  his  flea-bitten  gray  nag  and  turned  its  head 
in  the  direction  from  which  he  had  come.  "  I'm  going  after  this 
here  Dutchman,"  he  remarked  to  those  present.  "  Does  anybody 
care  to  go  along?  " 

Two  or  three  volunteered,  among  them  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Temple- 
ton.  Darkness  was  enveloping  the  earth  as  they  wound  their  way 
down  from  the  eminence  on  which  the  town  of  Ashton  stood.  _  It 
was  now  Monday  night  and  forty-eight  hours  after  the  burning 
of  the  Bascombe  house. 

"  He  must  be  doubling  on  his  track,"  said  the  sheriff  after  they 
had  proceeded  some  distance  in  silence.  "  Looks  that  way  to 
me." 

"  Why  doesn't  he  try  to  get  out  of  the  country?  "  asked  Tem 
pleton,  who  was  riding  by  the  officer's  side.  "  I  don't  understand 
his  hanging  round  here  this  way." 

"  Well,  you  see,"  replied  Sheriff  Sanderson,  "  the  nigger's  been 
hung,  which  shows  pretty  conclusively  that  folks  took  him  for 
the  guilty  party.  The  old  woman,  though,  didn't  die  right  away, 
and  she  might  tell  tales  before  she  died.  So  Cross-eyed  Jack 
just  dodged  out  of  sight,  bobbing  up  at  first  one  place  and  then 
another  to  make  believe  he  wasn't  hiding.  That's  the  way  I 
happened  to  meet  him  in  the  road." 

"  He'll  find  out  pretty  soon  that  the  world  knows  the  truth. 
Then  he'll  leave  the  country  in  a  hurry." 

"  Maybe  he  will,  maybe  he  will,"  responded  the  sheriff,  du 
biously.  "  There's  no  telling." 

"  I  thought  the  instinct  of  a  criminal  was  to  flee  as  fast  and  as 
far  as  possible  from  the  scene  of  his  crime  ?  " 

"  That  was  in  the  old  time,  when  a  fellow  had  only  to  outrun 
them  that  was  behind  him.  Now  they  send  telegrams  on  ahead, 
and  they  follow  on  his  track  by  rail.  The  sharp  rascals  under 
stand  this,  and  their  usual  plan  is  to  lie  low  until  the  hue  and  cry 
dies  out,  and  then  steal  off  as  quietly  as  they  can.  I  knew  a  fellow 
once,"  pursued  the  sheriff,  growing  reminiscent,  "  that  robbed  a 
mail  train.  He  was  a  boss  hand  at  his  trade,  that  fellow'  was. 
One  night  he  bought  a  ticket  for  some  place  and  boarded  the 
train  like  any  other  passenger.  When  they  had  gone  a  few  miles 
he  rose  and  went  forward  to  the  express  car.  The  agent  was 
sitting  by  the  table,  and  there  was  a  loaded  pistol  in  the  drawer, 
.within  reach  of  his  hand.  He'd  been  told  always  to  keep  a  loaded 


60  The  K.  K.  K. 

pistol  in  that  drawer,  and  he  always  kept  it  there.  lie  was  sitting 
by  the  table  adding  up  a  long  column  of  figures.  When  he  looked 
up  he  saw  a  man  standing  in  the  door  with  a  shiny  pistol  pointed 
straight  toward  him.  The  man's  aim  was  very  steady  and  his 
voice  very  calm  as  he  told  the  agent  to  rise  and  fetch  him  the 
money  bag.  That  agent  was  in  the  habit  of  obeying  orders,  and 
he  obeyed  orders  this  time.  So  would  you  have  done  if  you  had 
been  in  his  place.  He  picked  up  the  bag,  and  such  other  things 
as  he  was  bidden  to  pick  up,  and  laid  them  down  in  a  pile  close 
to  the  stranger's  feet.  Then  he  went  under  orders  to  a  corner 
of  the  car  and  stood  there  with  his  back  to  the  stranger  and 
his  nose  stuck  as  far  into  that  corner  as  he  could  get  it.  The 
stranger  pulled  the  bell  cord  and  the  train  stopped.  The  stranger 
jumped  off  with  his  bags,  and  the  agent  explained  to  the  con 
ductor  as  soon  as  he  got  a  chance.  They  searched  high  and  low, 
and  they  sent  for  bloodhounds,  but  they  didn't  catch  the  stranger. 
The  bloodhounds  got  on  the  track  of  a  nigger  fiddler  and  run 
him  five  miles  and  treed  him,  but  that  didn't  help  the  situation 
much.  Big  rewards  were  offered,  and  the  police  picked  up  a 
dozen  different  fellows  in  a  dozen  different  towns,  but  they  didn't 
get  the  right  man.  Where  was  he?  Why,  he  didn't  go  a  mile 
from  the  place  of  the  robbery  before  he  stopped  and  went  into 
camp.  He  picked  a  snug  out-of-the-way  place,  close  to  water, 
and  lived  on  scant  rations  there  two  or  three  weeks.  Then  he 
walked  away  and  got  clear  out  of  the  country  without  trouble. 

"  How  did  you  find  all  this  out  ?  " 

"  Why,  in  the  easiest  way  imaginable.  As  soon  as  the  fellow 
got  a  long  way  off  from  the  scene  of  his  crime,  and  thought  he 
was  entirely  safe,  he  treated  himself  to  a  big  drunk.  It  was  in 
Kansas  City,  and  as  he  undertook  to  run  the  town,  the  police 
locked  him  up.  They  found  three  or  four  pistols  on  him,  and 
more  than  a  thousand  dollars  in  money.  Being  a  stranger,  they 
asked  him  where  he  came  from.  He  told  them  a  lie,  and  a  rather 
clumsy  lie,  being  drunk.  To  make  a  long  story  short,  they  held 
him  a  few  days  on  suspicion,  and  then,  having  obtained  sufficient 
evidence,  sent  him  back  to  Tennessee  to  answer  for  the  train 
robbery.  He  plead  guilty  when  his  trial  came  and  took  fifteen 
years  in  the  penitentiary.  He's  there  now,  I  reckon,  and  a  very 
sociable,  gentlemanly  fellow  he  is,  barring  his  trade." 

As  the  sheriff  beguiled  the  journey  with  this  narrative,  the 
flea-bitten  gray  horse  went  steadily  along  at  a  fox  trot  toward  the 


Mr.  Templeton  Comes  Near  Forgetting  His  Errand.  61 

spot  where  his  rider  had  encountered  Cross-eyed  Jack  the  evening 
before.  After  the  lapse  of  an  hour  or  more  they  reached  the 
place,  which  Sanderson  pointed  out  to  his  companions.  They 
made  a  brief  halt  here  and  then  followed  on  down  the  road  in 
the  direction  the  murderer  had  taken. 

"  Maybe  he's  found  out  by  this  time  he's  badly  wanted,  and 
maybe  he  hasn't,"  said  the  sheriff,  musingly.  "  I  don't  think 
he  knew  it  just  now,  or  he  would  have  tried  to  dodge  when  he 
met  me  unexpectedly  in  the  road.  No  telling,  though ;  no  telling. 
Some  criminals  are  naturally  scary,  and  some  are  bold  as  the 
devil.  Maybe  he  knew  the  truth  was  out,  but  counted  on  my  not 
knowing  it." 

It  was  now  past  nine  o'clock,  but  the  stars  were  all  shining, 
and  they  made  their  way  without  difficulty.  The  sheriff,  after  re 
lating  the  incident  from  his  personal  experience  just  given,  lapsed 
into  silence  and  began  whistling  softly  between  his  teeth,  which 
was  a  way  he  had  when  he  was  cogitating. 

Presently  they  heard  the  footsteps  of  galloping  horsemen 
behind  them.  They  reined  up,  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  half  dozen 
young  farmers  joined  them.  These  riders  had  searched  the 
country,  far  and  near,  for  Cross-eyed  Jack,  they  said,  but  had  dis 
covered  no  certain  trace  of  him.  Some  person  answering  his 
general  description  had  passed  along  the  road  they  were  now  trav 
eling,  but  they  were  not  sure  it  was  the  scoundrel  they  were 
looking  for.  An  imprudent  member  of  the  sheriff's  squad  in 
formed  them  that  it  was  certainly  Ankerstrom  who  had  walked 
boldly  along  'the  highway  a  few  hours  before,  and  on  receipt  of 
this  news  they  stayed  no  further  question,  but  s€t  out  at  once  to 
overtake  him.  "  We've  got  a  rope,"  said  one  of  the  party  as  they 
separated,  "  and  we  mean  to  hang  the  rascal  as  soon  as  we  lay 
hands  on  him." 

"  There's  a  law  in  this  country,  gentlemen,"  remonstrated  the 
sheriff,  gently. 

"  So  there  is,"  replied  the  fellow,  "  and  the  very  minute  we  are 
through  with  Cross-eyed  Jack  we'll  turn  him  over  to  the  law.  You 
may  have  his  corpse,  Sanderson,  if  you  want  it." 

Going  some  distance  farther,  the  sheriff  and  his  friends  came 
to  a  large  frame  house  by  the  roadside.  It  was  lit  up  invitingly, 
and  from  within  floated  the  pleasant  voice  of  a  young  lady  singing 
to  an  accompaniment  upon  the  piano.  Here  they  halted,  the 
sheriff  said,  to  make  inquiries. 


62  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  'Light,  gentlemen,  'light !  "  cried  a  rather  portly  old  gentle 
man,  advancing  briskly  to  the  front  gate. 

"  Haven't  time,"  responded  the  sheriff;  "  haven't  time,  Major." 

"  'Light,  'light !  "  persisted  the  old  gentleman,  who  from  his 
hearty  voice  and  manner  evidently  meant  what  he  said.  "  Get 
down  and  come  in,  one  and  all.  Come  in,  all  of  you,  and  stay  all 
night." 

"  Haven't  time, "  responded  the  sheriff ;  "  haven't  time, 
Major." 

"  Get  down,"  reiterated  the  old  man,  as  if  he  hadn't  heard  the 
officer.  "  Get  down  and  come  in,  gentlemen.  Here,  Bill,  Jim !  " 
lifting  his  voice  so  as  to  be  heard  all  over  his  premises.  "  Come 
right  along,  you  lazy  rascals,  and  take  these  horses.'' 

"  Well,"  remarked  the  sheriff  at  this,  "  I  reckon  we'd  as  well 
surrender,"  and  he  alighted  from  the  flea-bitten  gray,  the  tired 
animal  giving  itself  a  good  shake  as  soon  as  he  quitted  the 
saddle. 

A  sleepy-looking  negro  fellow  now  made  his  appearance,  fol 
lowed  soon  by  another,  and  the  horses  were  led  off  to  the 
stable.  The  music  ceased  as  they  drew  near  the  house,  and  quite 
a  stylish-looking  young  lady  made  her  appearance  in  the  front 
door.  Templeton  had  begun  to  regret  that  his  zeal  in  behalf  of 
justice  had  prompted  him  to  take  such  a  wearisome  night  ride,  but 
now,  beholding  the  stylish  young  lady,  and  being  young  and 
rather  susceptible,  he  congratulated  himself  that  he  had  come 
along  with  the  sheriff. 

After  a  hearty  welcome  had  been  extended  all  round,  and  an 
ample  supper  partaken  of,  the  Major,  the  sheriff,  and  two  or  three 
other  members  of  the  posse  comitatus  engaged  in  friendly  con 
versation  on  the  front  porch,  while  Templeton  and  the  young  lady 
drifted  accidentally  into  the  parlor,  where  they  soon  became  quite 
congenial.  It  was,  of  course,  the  duty  of  the  young  lady  to  assist 
her  father  in  the  entertainment  of  his  guests,  and  being  a  very 
conscientious  girl,  and  a  very  capable  one  to  boot,  she  discharged 
her  duty  on  this  particular  occasion  so  thoroughly  that  I  am  quite 
sure  no  feeling  of  self-reproach  disturbed  her  after  she  had  bidden 
her  visitor  a  pleasant  adieu  for  the  night.  As  for  Mr.  Templeton, 
I  speak  nothing  to  his  discredit  when  I  say  that  before  the 
young  lady  rose  and  bade  him  good-night  he  had  entirely  for 
gotten  the  matter  that  had  brought  him  to  the  house,  and  after 
seeking  his  couch  and  sinking  into  the  kindly  arms  of  Morpheus, 


Mr.  Templeton  Comes  Near  Forgetting  His  Errand.  63 

he  dreamed  not  of  Cross-eyed  Jack  or  the  gallows-tree,  but  of  a 
certain  fresh  young  face  that  was  fair  to  see,  and  his  slumbering 
soul  was  soothed  by  the  music  of  a  voice  ever  soft  and  low,  an 
excellent  thing  in  woman. 


64  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN  WHICH  THERE  IS  GREAT  CRY  AND  LITTLE  WOOL. 

THE  next  morning  early  Sheriff  Sanderson  took  a  turn  about 
the  place  to  see  if  he  could  learn  anything  as  to  the  whereabouts 
of  the  slippery  individual  for  whom  he  had  a  writ  of  arrest.  He 
found  the  negroes  all  posted  concerning-  the  hasty  hanging  of  poor 
Sandy,  and  the  discovery  of  his  complete  innocence  after  the  mis 
chief  had  been  done  and  could  not  be  undone.  They  were  in 
formed,  too?  as  to  the  active  part  Cross-eyed  Jack  had  taken  in  the 
proceedings,  and  from  the  rumors  that  had  reached  their  ears 
were"  disposed  to  saddle  on  the  shoulders  of  this  villain  the  re 
sponsibility  for  all  that  had  taken  place.  A  few  of  them  knew  the 
fellow  by  sight,  but  most  of  them  did  not  and  had  no  desire  to 
cultivate  his  acquaintance.  They  regarded  him  now  as  more 
devil  than  human,  and  feared  it  was  his  purpose  to  lay  concealed 
for  a  while,  and  then  bob  up  somewhere  unexpectedly  in  their 
midst  with  his  appetite  whetted  for  murder. 

"  You  mout  as  well  s'arch  for  a  needle  in  a  haystack,"  said  a 
wise  old  darkey,  "  as  try  to  find  dat  furriner  twell  he  git  ready  to 
make  hisself  known  ag'in.  He's  hid  out  somewhar  round  here, 
and  jess  zactly  whar  he  is  de  good  Lord  I  specks  knows,  but  I 
doesn't.  Mebbe  he  done  gone  in  a  hole  and  pulled  the  hole  in 
atter  him." 

At  this  not  very  original  attempt  at  humor  the  old  man  laughed 
heartily,  and  Sheriff  Sanderson,  who  was  polite  to  high  and  low, 
laughed  too.  "  I'm  inclined  to  think  you're  right,  Uncle  Davy," 
he  answered,  "  about  his  being  hid  out  round  here  somewhere,  but 
the  devil  is  more  apt  to  know  where  he  is  than  the  good  Lord." 

"  Dat's  de  trufe,"  responded  the  old  man,  shaking  his  head  and 
laughing  again.  "Dat's  as  true  a  word,  marster,  as  ever  you 
spoke.  Dis  here  Cross-eyed  Jack  and  de  devil  is  buzzum  friends, 
an'  dat  why  he  ain  gwy  be  so  easy  kotch.  When  I  was  a  leetle 


In  Which  There  is  Great  Cry  and  Little  Wool.     65 

boy  in  Firginny  I  heerd  talk  of  a  flyin'  Dutchman  dat  was  buzzum 
friend  to  de  devil,  and  dat  Dutchman  dey  never  could  ketch.  Folk 
seed  him,  folk  heerd  him,  but  when  dey  come  to  lay  hands  on  him 
he  wa'n't  thar." 

"  Mebbe  dis  here's  de  flyin'  Dutchman,"  said  a  little  negro  boy 
who  had  been  an  interested  listener  to  the  conversation. 

"  Son,"  rejoined  the  old  man,  solemnly,  "  I  got  de  same  notion 
in  my  own  head.  Las'  time  de  moon  was  on  de  change  I  dream 
'bout  dis  flyin'  Dutchman,  and  de  nex'  news  I  heerd  Sandy  Kin- 
chen  was  dead  and  gone." 

The  breakfast  bell  now  rang  loudly,  and  Sheriff  Sanderson  re 
turned  toward  the  dwelling-house  of  Major  Habersham,  having 
elicited  no  information  of  consequence  from  the  negroes  on  the 
place.  When  he  reached  the  mansion  house,  he  found  the  squad 
which  had  ridden  by  him  the  night  before  was  on  hand,  awaiting 
breakfast.  They  were  all  weary  and  hungry,  but  brought  no 
tidings  of  the  missing  man.  He  had  vanished  completely  after 
his  chance  interview  with  the  sheriff  on  the  preceding  afternoon, 
and  nothing  could  be  learned  of  his  subsequent  course,  except  that 
he  did  not  keep  to  the  highway.  When  Sanderson  heard  this  he 
announced  his  intention  to  return  home,  and  advised  the  rest  of 
the  posse  to  do  the  same  thing,  as  the  rascal  they  were  in  search 
of  was  probably  out  of  the  neighborhood  by  that  time.  The  fact 
was,  the  sheriff  had  concluded  that  no  matter  where  Ankerstrom 
was  the  search  for  him  should  be  conducted  by  quiet  effort  that 
would  not  alarm  him.  He  therefore  deemed  it  best  to  act  as  if 
he  believed  the  fellow  was  not  in  his  county,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  keep  an  incessant  watch  for  him,  so  as  to  be  certain  not  to  miss 
him  if  he  proved  to  be  still  lurking  about  in  the  vicinity  of  his 
crime. 

At  the  breakfast  table  the  whole  array,  some  twenty  hungry 
souls  in  all,  were  sumptuously  entertained  upon  fried  chicken,  hot 
biscuits,  strong  coffee,  rich  sweet  milk,  and  other  acceptable  eata 
bles  and  drinkables ;  and  not  having  a  cent  to  pay,  arose  from  the 
feast  with  charity  for  all  and  malice  toward  none,  except  Johan 
Ankerstrom,  who  was  mysteriously  at  large  and  would  not  give 
himself  up  to  be  hung.  As  they  mounted  and  rode  off,  they  bade 
good-by  to  all,  and  received  cordial  adieus  in  return  from  the 
members  of  the  family,  excepting  Matilda,  the  housemaid,  who 
was  distant  in  her  manners.  Sheriff  Sanderson,  on  his  fox-trot 
ting  nag,  was  among  the  last  of  the  party  to  leave  the  premises, 
5 


66  The  K.  K.  K. 

When  he  had  departed  no  one  was  left  behind  except  Mr.  Bob 
Lee  Templeton,  who  still  lingered  with  the  Major  and  his  daugh 
ter  at  the  front  gate. 

Mr.  Templeton  lingered  at  the  front  gate  because  he  had  a  dif 
ferent  route  to  travel  from  that  pursued  by  the  others,  being 
bound  now  for  his  home  in  the  adjoining  county.  He  lingered 
also  because  he  found  himself  in  pleasant  company,  and  one  as  a 
rule  does  not  like  to  leave  pleasant  company.  As  he  stood  at  the 
gate,  chatting  and  exchanging  pleasant  remarks,  preparatory  to 
taking  his  departure,  the  Major  suggested  that  it  would  be  better 
for  him  to  remain  over  that  day  and  take  a  fresh  start  next  morn 
ing.  Mr.  Templeton  replied  firmly  that  he  had  pressing  business 
awaiting  him  at  home  and  was  bound  to  go.  The  Major  in  re 
joinder  said  that  he,  Templeton,  must  be  somewhat  fatigued  from 
the  travel  of  the  preceding  day,  and  his  steed  likewise  must  be 
off  his  mettle,  and  therefore  not  in  trim  for  another  full  day's 
ride.  Mr.  Templeton  in  sur  rejoinder  admitted  that  his  nag 
might  be  leg-weary  from  the  previous  day's  use,  but  insisted  that 
his  business  at  home  was  of  such  pressing  nature  that  he  must  go 
forward  at  once  and  look  after  it. 

As  Mr.  Templeton  thrust  aside  the  Major's  urgent  invitation 
to  abide  longer  under  his  roof,  and  was  in  the  very  act  of  lifting 
the  latch  of  the  front  gate  preparatory  to  passing  out  and  riding 
away  it  so  chanced  that  he  caught  the  eye  of  the  Major's  daugh 
ter.  Miss  Polly  Habersham  had  previously  seconded  the  request 
of  her  father  that  he  should  postpone  his  departure  till  the  follow 
ing  morning,  but  she  had  done  this  in  such  a  nonchalant  off-hand 
fashion  that  the  guest  didn't  really  believe  she  meant  what 
she  said.  At  least  he  had  been  impelled  by  her  indifferent  man 
ner  to  the  conclusion  that  she  didn't  seriously  care  whether  he 
went  or  stayed.  Now,  however,  as  he  lifted  the  latch  of  the  gate, 
turning  his  head  slightly  to  one  side  at  the  same  time,  it  came  to 
pass  that — as  the  saying  goes — he  caught  her  eye.  Precisely 
what  he  read  there  I'm  not  able  to  inform  you,  but  certain  it  is 
that  the  very  moment  he  caught  her  eye  his  fingers  relaxed  their 
hold  upon  the  gate  latch. 

"  Stay,  stay,"  persisted  the  Major.  "  If  you  start  for  home  dead 
tired,  you  won't  be  in  any  fix  to  attend  to  business  when  you  get 
there." 

"  One  day  more  won't  hurt,"  said  the  young  lady,  in  the  same 
tone  she  had  used  before,  Then  she  leaned  her  elbow 


In  Which  There  is  Great  Cry  and  Little  Wool.     67 

on  the  top  plank  of  the  yard  fence  and  gave  the  young  man  what 
they  call  an  expressive  glance. 

"  Major,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  impulsively,  to  the 
head  of  the  establishment,  "  I'll  be  candid  with  you,  sir.  I  would 
like  the  best  in  the  world  to  stop  over  with  you  another  day,  and 
I'm  going  to  tell  you  why.  Last  night  ,sir,  you  delivered,  as  I  am 
informed,  an  excellent  discourse  to  some  of  the  gentlemen  of  my 
company  upon  the  state  of  the  country  at  large.  Owing  to — ah — 
circumstances,  I  could  not  be  present,  but  I  would  like  above  all 
things  to  be  posted  on  that  subject.  Every  man,  I  think,  in  this 
great  and  free  country  should  have  some  knowledge  of  the  state 
of  the  country  at  large,  and  I  have  therefore  concluded  to  stop 
over,  and — ah — inform  myself." 

"  Quite  right,  quite  right,"  quoth  the  Major,  heartily.  "  How 
can  a  man  vote  intelligently  if  he  doesn't  inform  himself  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  so,"  chimed  in  Miss  Polly  Habersham.  "  It 
seems  to  me,  if  I  were  a  man,  and  couldn't  inform  myself  before 
offering  to  vote,  I  wouldn't  vote  at  all." 

The  young  gentleman's  perfect  candor  on  this  occasion  made  a 
favorable  impression  on  the  Major,  as  perfect  candor  always  has 
done  and  always  will  anywhere  in  this  too  deceitful  world.  The 
horse  that  had  stood  at  the  rack  was  sent  back  to  the  stable,  and 
Mr.  Templeton's  contemplated  journey  homeward  was  postponed 
till  next  morning. 

Several  lectures  were  delivered  by  the  Major  in  the  course  of 
the  day  on  the  subject  of  the  state  of  the  country  at  large,  to  all 
of  which  his  visitor  gave  flattering  heed.  At  odd  times  he  re 
lieved  his  mind  by  light  discourse  with  Miss  Polly,  who,  though 
not  as  deeply  learned  in  statecraft  as  her  father,  proved  herself  to 
be  fairly  entertaining  in  her  way.  With  music  and  chat,  strolls 
and  all  that,  she  and  the  stranger  within  her  gates  whiled  away 
the  time  till  the  sun  went  down  and  the  stars  peeped  out  and  the 
lamp-lit  hours  slipped  blissfully  by,  and  the  evening  and  the 
morning  were  the  first  day. 

When  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  did  mount  his  horse  the  next 
morning,  and  did  ride  away  from  the  premises,  he  felt  exactly  as 
if  he  was  leaving  old  and  dear  friends  behind.  The  Major  re 
marked  to  his  daughter  that  the  young  gentleman  was  a  very 
promising  pupil,  and  would  soon  come  to  know  as  much  about 
the  state  of  the  country  as  he  himself  did.  And  the  daughter  re 
marked  to  her  father  that  he  was  a  nice  young  man  to  boot,  and 


68  The  K.  K.  K. 

quite  a  pleasant  addition  to  her  list  of  acquaintances.  Uncle 
Davy,  the  hostler,  publicly  proclaimed  that  the  departed  guest 
was  the  most  thorough  gentleman  who  had  visited  the  place  since 
Miss  Polly  came  on  the  carpet.  "  I'm  gwy  tell  you  how  I 
know,"  said  the  old  man,  "  and  den  you  bound  to  own  I'm  right. 
Bekase  when  I  hilt  de  horse  for  him  to  mount  he  gin  me  a  dollar. 
Right  dar  is  whar  he  showed  his  raisin'.  A  picayuny  white  man 
would  a  gin  me  a  dime,  or  mebbe  if  Miss  Polly  had  made  him 
feel  right  proud  o'  hisseff,  he  mout  a  squeezed  out  a.  quarter.  A 
tolerable  nice  beau  would  er  let  a  half-dollar,  or  sich  matter,  slip 
through  his  fingers,  but  this  here  up-headed  young  marster  he 
pitched  me  a  dollar  like  he  used  to  flingin'  away  money.  Hit 
minded  me  of  de  old  times  way  back  yander  in  Firginny,  when 
my  young  marster  went  callin'  on  de  ladies  in  his  gig,  and  I  tuck 
de  middle  of  de  road  on  a  high-steppin'  horse  behind  him,  bofe 
tm  us  dressed  to  kill.  Lord,  Lord,  dem  was  de  days  when  quality 
folks  walked  right  over  poor  white  trash,  and  a  gentleman's  body 
sarvant  didn't  bemean  hisself  by  no  kind  of  labor." 

Sheriff  Sanderson,  as  he  took  his  way  homeward,  laid  plots  in 
his  mind  for  the  capture  of  the  fugitive  murderer,  and  deviated 
more  than  once  from  his  direct  path  to  put  this  or  that  trusty 
friend  of  his  on  the  lookout.  A  good  reward  had  been  offered  for 
the  apprehension  of  the  absconding  scoundrel,  and  if  there  had 
been  none  at  all  the  whole  community  was  bent  on  catching  him 
if  he  stayed  above  the  ground.  Randolph  Pearson  in  his  quiet 
way  rendered  the  law  officer  all  the  aid  that  was  possible  under 
the  circumstances.  The  members  of  his  newly  organized  band 
were  assigned  .to  duty  wherever  it  was  thought  they  could  be  of 
service,  and  a  general  and  systematic  search  was  instituted 
throughout  the  entire  country.  Telegrams  were  sent  off  to  dis 
tant  parts,  letters  were  written  giving  a  full  description  of  the 
person  of  the  murderer,  and  the  police  in  many  different  cities 
were  notified  that  a  cross-eyed  villain,  called  Johan  Ankerstrom, 
was  badly  wanted  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  and  a  round  sum  of 
money  would  be  paid  for  his  apprehension. 

But  though  the  sheriff  kept  his  eyes  open  and  his  ears  open 
for  several  successive  days,  and  Pearson  and  the  members 
of  his  vigilant  band  did  the  same  thing,  and  numerous 
noisy  volunteers,  with  dogs  and  ropes,  scoured  the  country, 
not  a  thing  could  be  learned  of  the  whereabouts  of  the 
slippery  individual  they  were  anxiously  seeking.  The  im- 


In  Which  There  is  Great  Cry  and  Little  Wooh     69 

pression  came  to  be  general  that  he  had  gotten  entirely 
away,  a.nd  would  have  to  be  sought  for  in  some  other  part  of 
the  world.  The  sheriff  reached  this  conclusion  and  announced 
it  to  his  coadjutors  over  the  country.  The  vigorous  search  was 
almost  abandoned,  and  the  minds  of  people  were  becoming  grad 
ually  occupied  with  other  matters,  when  suddenly  an  incident  oc 
curred  that  at  once  threw  the  whole  community  again  into  the 
wildest  excitement. 

At  a  lonely  farmhouse  some  distance  away  from  any  public 
road,  there  lived  a  man  named  Hopscn,  with  his  wife  and  three 
small  children.  The  poor  man  was  a  consumptive,  too  much  de 
bilitated  to  perform  manual  labor.  He  lived  in  a  small  cottage 
sadly  out  of  repair,  and  possessed  almost  nothing  in  the  way  of 
worldly  goods.  Indeed,  his  lot  was  one  of  such  bitter  poverty 
that  but  for  the  charity  of  kind  neighbors  he  and  his  household 
must  often  have  suffered  for  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  folk 
about  him,  though,  were  very  attentive  to  his  wants,  and  the  Hop- 
sons  were  worthy  people  who  deserved  all  the  sympathy  that  was 
so  freely  accorded  them.  The  good  wife,  Martha  Ann  Hopson, 
was  a  cheerful  and  industrious  body,  laying  to  with  a  will  at  some 
kind  of  work  every  day,  and  skimping  all  around  in  the  manage 
ment  of  household  affairs  as  only  a  hard-pressed  woman  can. 

A  basket  meeting  had  been  going  on  for  two  or  three  days  at  a 
church  not  far  from  the  Hopson  place  of  abode,  and  Mrs.  Hop- 
son,  with  her  two  younger  children,  had  managed  to  attend  the 
place  of  worship,  the  elder  boy,  a  lad  of  nine  years,  remaining  at 
home  with  his  father.  On  the  last  day  of  the  meeting,  after  din 
ner,  some  charitable  soul  proposed  that  the  fragments  be  gathered 
up  and  donated  as  a  lot  to  Sister  Hopson.  This  proposition 
meeting  with  universal  favor,  several  baskets  of  provisions  were 
taken  by  zealous  friends  that  afternoon  to  the  Hopson  place.  The 
good  woman's  cupboard  was  not  only  filled  to  overflowing,  but 
many  tempting  things  were  left  over,  and  these  the  three  children 
set  to  work  to  devour,  in  order  that  nothing  might  be  wasted. 
The  two  younger,  having  surfeited  at  the  basket  meeting,  could 
not  accomplish  much  in  furthering  this  frugal  intent,  but  the 
older  boy  did  his  duty  nobly.  He  disposed,  indeed,  of  such  a 
quantity  and  so  great  a  variety  of  edibles  that  when  he  retired  to 
bed  he  displayed  symptoms  of  uneasiness  that  did  not  fail  to 
catch  the  ear  of  his  vigilant  mother. 

It  was  owing  to  the  above  circumstance,  as  she  afterward  re- 


70  The  K.  K.  K. 

lated,  that  she  was  unusually  wakeful  on  this  particular  night. 
A  little  after  midnight,  hearing  some  disturbance  among  the 
fowls  in  the  yard,  she  arose  and  started  forth  to  investigate.  The 
murder  at  the  Bascombe  place — not  above  four  miles  away — had 
made  her  nervous,  and  she  undid  the  bolt  softly  and  peeped  out 
of  doors  before  venturing  beyond  the  protection  of  her  roof.  As 
she  did  so  a  man  with  a  long  knife  confronted  her,  pushing  the  door 
open  with  his  unoccupied  hand  in  spite  of  such  feeble  resistance 
as  she  could  make.  She  retreated  a  few  steps,  and,  following  her 
into  the  room,  he  ordered  her  in  gruff  tones  to  strike  a  light.  This 
command  she  promptly  obeyed,  making  no  outcry,  for  she  knew 
thaf  neither  her  little  children  nor  her  weak  husband  could  render 
her  any  assistance.  When  the  lamp  was  lit  she  saw  that  the  rude 
intruder  had  unusually  long  arms  for  a  man  of  his  stature.  He 
was  bareheaded ;  his  uncombed  hair  was  rilled  with  dirt  and  small 
particles  of  leaves  and  dry  twigs,  and  she  shuddered  when  she  ob 
served  that  his  eyes  were  badly  crossed,  for  then  she  knew  she 
stood  before  the  demon  who  had  burned  the  Bascombe  house  and 
murdered  the  good  old  woman  who  dwelt  there.  He  carried  now 
in  his  hand  a  common  tobacco  knife,  but  as  these  are  intended  to 
sever  at  a  stroke  the  tough  stalk  of  the  plant,  he  could  not  have 
procured  a  more  dangerous  weapon.  Raising  his  hand  in  a 
threatening  manner,  he  demanded  food,  and  the  poor  woman 
without  hesitation  opened  the  door  of  her  cupboard  and  showed 
him  all  her  precious  supply. 

When  she  had  disclosed  her  stores  to  his  greedy  eyes,  the  vil 
lain  motioned  with  his  sharp  knife  toward  the  bare  table,  and  un 
derstanding  this  to  be  a  direction  to  place  food  thereon,  she 
brought  an  abundant  supply,  and  covered  the  board  with  victuals 
of  every  description.  While  she  was  thus  engaged  her  husband 
began  to  cough,  and  the  murderer  went  on  tiptoe  to  the  bed,  and 
displaying  the  keen  blade  of  his  knife,  commanded  him  to  lie  back 
on  his  pillow,  to  which  order  the  poor  sufferer  yielded  trembling 
obedience.  The  three  children  all  slept  in  a  trundle  bed  together, 
and  it  was  evident  from  the  agitation  of  the  cover  that  they  were 
now  awake,  though  dreadful  fear  kept  them  all  as  still  as  mice. 
From  beneath  a  corner  of  the  thin  coverlet  one  eye  of  the  little 
girl  might  have  been  noted,  keeping  constant  watch  upon  her 
mother  as  she  moved  about  the  room.  Now  did  the  brutal  scoun 
drel  seat  himself  at  table,  and,  without  ceremony  or  compunction, 
proceed  to  devour  like  a  ravenous  animal  such  things  as  had  been 


In  Which  There  is  Great  Cry  and  Little  Wool.     71 

set  before  him.  While  with  both  hands  he  conveyed  bits  of 
food  to  his  mouth,  his  hungry  eyes  roved  over  the  numerous 
other  good  things  with  which  the  board  was  spread.  When  he 
had  stuffed  himself  to  his  satisfaction,  he  rose,  and  taking  from 
the  shelf  a  figured  bedspread,  which  was  the  poor  woman's  pride, 
he  opened  it  upon  the  floor  and  piled  promiscuously  on  it  as 
much  food  of  every  description  as  he  could  pack  off.  Going  then 
up  to  the  wife  and  mother,  he  held  his  sharp  knife  close  to  her 
throat,  while  a  murderous  gleam  lit  up  his  tangled  eyes.  He 
spoke  no  word,  but  she  said  afterward  that  somehow  he  conveyed 
to  her  his  meaning — that  they  had  better  remain  perfectly  still 
in  the  house  after  his  departure  or  he  would  return  and  destroy 
the  entire  family.  Then  he  went  away,  carrying  his  entire  stock 
of  provisions  on  his  shoulder. 

They  were  all  hushed  for  hours  after  he  had  left ;  indeed,  they 
did  not  dare  to  stir  until  the  darkness  of  night  had  fled  and  the 
sun  of  the  following  day  was  high  in  the  heavens.  Then  one  of 
the  neighbors  happening  to  drop  in  the  fearful  tale  was  told,  the 
alarm  was  given,  and  the  whole  community  again  was  thrown 
into  fierce  convulsion. 

A  great  crowd  in  a  few  hours  thronged  and  surged  about  the 
Hopson  cottage  as  it  had  surged  about  the  Bascombe  place  a  fort 
night  before,  when  the  old  lady  lay  a  dying  in  the  yard.  Great 
was  the  tumult,  loud  and  angry  were  the  voices  that  arose  on  all 
sides,  but  vain  was  the  endeavor  to  trace  the  midnight  robber  to 
his  den,  which,  they  all  knew,  could  not  be  far  from  the  scene  of 
his  persistent  outrages.  The  sheriff  came  as  soon  as  he  heard  of 
the  affair  and  began  a  fresh  search,  but  could  not  unravel  the 
mystery  of  the  outlaw's  lurking  place.  Barns,  haystacks,  hollow 
trees,  every  possible  place  of  concealment  was  subjected  to  mi 
nute  scrutiny,  but  none  gave  up  the  villain  whom  all  were  seek 
ing.  No  trace  of  the  robber,  house-burner  and  murderer  could  be 
found,  and  a  feeling  akin  to  consternation  spread  itself  abroad 
in  the  community.  None  could  guess  into  whose  house  the 
deadly  scoundrel  would  next  seek  to  thrust  his  ugly  visage  at 
night  and  without  warning.  Doors  and  shutters  were  fast 
bolted  when  the  sun  went  down,  and  not  opened  again  during  the 
dark  hours,  except  at  the  summons  of  some  well-known  voice 
from  without. 

The  negroes  of  the  vicinity  were,  of  course,  more  demoralized 
than  the  white  people,  and  apprehension  of  being  confronted  with 


72  The  K.  K.  K. 

the  now  famous  murderer  accompanied  them  at  every  turn.  In 
the  somewhat  lonely  cabin  of  Patsy  Kinchen  there  was  especial 
trepidation,  for  the  widow  of  the  late  Sandy  was  convinced  the 
murderous  foreigner  had  sworn  vengeance  in  his  wicked  heart 
against  the  entire  Kinchen  family. 

"  I  done  told  Pete,"  said  Patsy,  the  lad's  mother,  to  Pearson, 
when  the  latter  stopped  one  day  to  see  how  they  were  getting  on 
in  their  new  abode — "  I  done  told  Pete  not  for  to  go  meanderin' 
up  and  down  de  country  wid  no  business  on  his  mind,  but  to  take 
warnin'  by  his  daddy  which  is  dead  and  gone,  Lord  help  his  soul ! 
If  Sandy  had  been  in  de  bed  dat  night,  whar  he  oughter  been,  he 
wouldn't  a  got  kotched  out  from  home  and  hung.  'Stidder  dat 
he  must  be  up  and  gwine,  bound  for  nowhars  in  particular,  with 
dat  little  dog,  Jineral  Beauregard,  at  his  heels.  As  for  dat  dog, 
Marse  Ran,  I  hates  to  say  a  hard  word  of  de  dog,  but  he  never 
sot  no  very  good  example  for  Sandy,  and  he  don't  exercise  the 
right  kind  of  influence  over  my  boy  now,  no  he  don't.  The  dog 
ain't  feerd  of  nothin',  and  Pete  he  ain't  feerd  of  nothin',  so,  spite 
of  all  I  kin  do  and  say,  here  dey  bofe  goes,  up  and  down,  and 
cross  country,  and  everywheres.  One  of  dese  days — mind  what 
I  tell  you — in  some  out-of-de-way  place,  with  nobody  else  in  hol- 
lerin'  distance,  dey  gwy  run  right  slap  up  on  dat  Flyin'  Dutch 
man.  Den  whar'll  they  be  ?  " 


Pete  Kinchen  Goes  in  Quest  of  His  Mother's  Cow.    73 


CHAPTER  IX. 

PETE  KINCHEN  GOES  IN  QUEST  OF  HIS  MOTHER'S  COW,  AND  FINDS 
WHAT  HE  WAS  NOT  LOOKING  FOR. 

Miss  SUE  BASCOMBE,  upon  the  death  of  her  grandmother  and 
the  burning  of  the  old  family  home,  went  to  reside  with  a  rela 
tive  on  her  mother's  side,  who  was  in  comfortable  circumstances 
and  lived  not  far  away.  The  girl  herself  was  no  pauper.  She 
owned  now  the  Bascombe  place,  with  the  personal  property  at 
tached  thereto,  and  there  was  a  little  besides,  in  the  way  of  notes 
and  money,  for  the  old  lady  had  been  frugal  in  her  time.  Alto 
gether,  while  almost  anywhere  else  in  the  world  her  estate  would 
have  been  deemed  a  very  small  one,  in  the  particular  locality 
where  she  resided  it  was  sufficient  to  supply  her  modest  necessi 
ties  and  establish  for  her  the  desirable  reputation  of  being  inde 
pendent.  She  was  a  girl  with  a  pretty  good  business  head,  re 
sembling  her  grandmother  in  this  as  in  many  other  particulars, 
and  it  was  the  general  impression  in  the  community  that,  if  she 
remained  a  spinster,  she  would  be  more  apt  to  add  to  her  respec 
table  patrimony  than  to  waste  it. 

One  morning,  about  a  fortnight  after  the  robbery  of  the  Hop- 
sons',  as  she  stood  at  a  front  window  of  the  house  she  now  oc 
cupied  as  a  home,  the  girl  noticed  a  little  negro  boy,  with  a  small 
dog  at  his  heels,  approaching  the  residence  in  an  unusual  manner. 
An  open  wood  lay  immediately  in  front  of  the  house,  and  the  lad 
in  making  progress  dodged  behind  first  one  tree  and  then  an 
other,  as  if  he  had  been  an  Indian  who  was  minded,  when  he  got 
sufficiently  near,  to  rush  up  and  tomahawk  the  family.  Not  fully 
understanding  the  significance  of  these  maneuvers,  Sue  kept  her 
eye  on  him,  and  finally  observed  him  crouch  behind  the  woodpile, 
a  little  distance  beyond  the  yard  inclosure.  Determined  to  ascer 
tain  the  character  of  his  business,  if  he  had  any,  she  left  the 
house,  and,  advancing  promptly  upon  his  place  of  retreat,  soon 
stood  close  beside  him. 


74  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Please,  mum,"  said  the  urchin,  rising  when  she  came  to  a 
halt  and  looked  at  him  inquiringly.  "  I'm  Sandy's  little  boy — 
Sandy  Kinchen,  mum,  what  didn't  split  ole  Miss  Bascombe's  head 
open  wid  dat  ax." 

As  he  submitted  this  remark  Miss  Bascombe  took  a  calm  sur 
vey  of  the  visitor's  person.  His  raiment  was  a  long  ragged  shirt, 
not  over  clean,  which  hung  upon  him  so  loosely  that  there  seemed 
imminent  danger  all  the  while  of  its  forsaking  his  body  and^slip- 
ping  to  the  ground.  He  was  hatless,  and  as  it  was  summer  time, 
it  goes  without  saying  that  he  was  barefooted.  Indeed,  his 
ragged  shirt  was  his  costume,  and,  that  having  been  intended  by 
the  maker  for  some  much  larger  person,  and  being  without  a 
fastening  of  any  kind  at  the  throat,  was  kept  on  seemingly  by  fre 
quent  shoulder  shrugs  and  occasional  clutches  from  apprehensive 
fingers. 

"  Please,  mum,"  repeated  the  lad,  "  I'm  Sandy's  little  boy ;  and 
I  seed  him  dis  very  mornin' — me  and  Jineral  Beauregard 
did." 

"  Seed  who  dis  very  mornin'  ?  "  inquired  the  girl  surprised  at 
what  she  heard,  and  unconsciously  imitating  the  boy's  tone  and 
language. 

"  Him,  mum ;  him  what  did  split  ole  Miss  Bascombe's  head 
open  wid  de  ax.  I  seed  him." 

c<  You  don't  mean " 

.    "  Yas'm,  I  means  him  what  folk  calls  de  Flyin'  Dutchman.     I 
seed  him." 

She  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  in  perplexity,  hardly  knowing 
what  was  best  to  be  done  under  the  circumstances. 

"  You  ain'  gwy  give  me  away,  is  you  ?  Kase  if  you  does  me 
and  Jineral  Beauregard  is  bofe  dead  men." 

She  shook  her  head.  "Where  did  you  see  that  man?"  she 
asked.  "  Who  told  you  to  bring  this  tale  to  me?  " 

"  Dey  ain't  nobody  told  me.  I  went  to  find  Marse  Ran,  and  he 
wa'n't  at  home.  Den  I  come  to  you." 

"  Well,  tell  me  now  where  you  saw  this  man." 

"  You  ain'  gwy  give  me  away,  is  you?  " 

She  shook  her  head. 
•  "  You  ain'  gwy  never  give  me  away  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head  again. 

"  Wai,  den,  I'm  gwy  tell  you.  Dis  mornin'  I  was  a  huntin' 
for  de  muley  cow  what  Marse  Ran  gin  mammy  when  he  sot  her 


Pete  Kinchen  Goes  in  Quest  of  His  Mother's  Cow.    75 

up  a  housekeepinj.  She  strayed  off — de  cow  did — she  all  de  time 
at  dat — and  never  come  home  last  night,  but  mammy  she  'lowed 
she  heard  de  bell  way  off  on  de  side  of  de  hill.  Dis  mornin'  'fo' 
day  me  and  Jineral  Beauregard  we  was  'bleeged  to  go  for  to  get 
de  cow  and  drive  de  cow  home.  We  climb  'long  up  on  de  side 
of  de  ridge,  and  when  we  done  got  most  to  de  top  Jineral  Beau- 
regard  he  tuck  out  atter  a  rabbit,  like  I  done  tole  him  many  a 
time  not  to  do.  He  rurt-dat  rabbit,  he  did,  round  and  round,  un- 
twell  he  run  him  into  de  thick  briar  patch  what  grows  close  up 
agin  de  big  bluff  dey  calls  de  chalk  bluff.  When  he  got  in  dar 
I  heerd  him  a  growlin'  and  a  snappin'  like  he  done  run  up  ag'in 
sumpen  he  wa'n't  'spectin'  to  find.  I  crep'  up  tolerable  clost,  I 
did,  and  den  I  lay  down,  kase  I  didn't  know  zactly  what  'twas 
Jineral  Beauregard  done  run  up  agin  in  de  briar  patch.  Pres 
ently  I  heerd  him  holler,  and  he  come  running  out'n  de  briar 
patch  and  made  for  the  place  whar  he  leff  me.  Den  I  heerd 
sumpen  comin'  behind  him.  I  been  huntin'  for  de  cow,  and  fust 
I  thought  it  was  de  cow  but  den  in  a  minit  I  know'd  it  wa'n't  de 
cow,  kase  it  walked  too  light  for  de  cow.  Hit  come  out'n  de 
briar  patch,  and  hit  come  on  to  the  aidge  of  de  broom  sage  field 
what  stand  about  de  briar  patch,  walkin'  kinder  tiptoe.  It  wa'n't 
hardly  light  good,  but  I  seed  him,  and  I  know'd  him,  and  hit  was 
de  Flyin'  Dutchman.  He  stood  dar  a  little  while,  he  did,  and  den 
he  crep'  back  to'ds  de  briar  patch.  'Bout  dat  time  here  come  Jin 
eral  Beauregard  crawlin'  on  his  belly,  kase  he  done  been  to  de 
place  whar  I  was,  and  struck  my  trail,  and  he  was  skeer'd.  Den  I 
backed  away  from  dar  on  my  all  fours,  and  soon  as  I  got  a  little 
piece  off  I  riz  and  run  for  all  I  was  wuth;  and  I  ain't  found  dat 
cow  yit." 

He  ended  his  tale  here,  and  stood  looking  at  her ;  and  the  dog 
sat  up  dog-fashion  and  looked  at  her.  It  was  an  active  little  dog 
of  the  fox  terrier  variety,  with  its  tail  bobbed  and  ears  sharpened, 
so  as  to  impart  to  it  a  fiercer  appearance  than  it  would  naturally 
have  borne. 

"Where  is  the  briar  patch  you  speak  of?"  inquired  Sue. 
"  Would  you  know  it  if  you  were  to  see  it  again  ?  " 

"  Yas'm,  I'd  know  it,"  responded  the  lad.  "  But  I  ain't  gwine 
'bout  dar  no  mo' — I  tells  you  dat." 

"  How  will  others  find  the  place  then  ?  " 

"  Dar's  a  dead  tree  clost  to  the  aidge  of  de  briar  patch,  and  a 
hawk  or  a  buzzard  most  all  the  time  a  settin'  on  a  limb  of  dat 


76  The  K.  K.  K. 

tree.  Ef  I  could  find  Marse  Ran  I  mout  take  him  to  whar  I  could 
p'int  out  dat  tree  to  him.  Right  dar  I'm  gwy  stop." 

"  You  say  you've  been  to  Marse  Ran's  house  this  morning  ?  " 

"  Yas'm." 

"  And  he  was  not  at  home  ?  " 

"  Naw'm." 

"  Did  they  tell  you  where  he  was  ?  " 

"  Dey  say  dey  didn't  know.  Dat's  de  reason  I  come  here.  I 
thought  you  mout  know." 

Sue  reflected  a  short  time ;  then  she  asked  the  little  boy : 

"  Have  you  had  your  breakfast?  " 

"  Naw'm ;  me  nur  Jineral  Beauregard  ain't  nary  one  had  our 
breakfast." 

"  Come  with  me  and  I'll  get  you  something  to  eat." 

She  escorted  the  boy  and  dog  to  a  spot  in  the  back  yard  and 
instructed  the  cook  to  administer  to  their  bodily  wants.  She 
then  told  the  lad  not  to  leave  the  premises  until  she  dismissed 
him,  and,  going  into  the  house,  she  wrote  a  short  note  to  a  young 
farmer  friend  of  hers,  named  Mclntosh,  who  resided  in  the  imme 
diate  neighborhood.  This  she  dispatched  by  a  house  servant  and 
awaited  an  answer. 

Within  an  hour,  Mclntosh,  as  requested  in  the  note,  reported  in 
person  to  Miss  Bascombe,  and  she  gave  him  the  substance  of  the 
boy's  story.  It  was  agreed  between  them  that  Pearson  must  be 
found  without  delay,  as  it  was  all  important  that  the  murderer's 
hiding  place  should  be  surrounded  before  the  sun  went  down.  As 
the  dog  had  disturbed  him,  he  would  no  doubt  suspect  the  near 
presence  of  some  human  being,  and  would  almost  certainly  shift 
his  quarters  that  night.  Mclntosh  agreed  to  go  in  search  of 
Pearson,  and  suggested  that  the  lad  be  detained  until  the  arrival 
of  the  latter.  Pete  was  sent  for  and  told  to  await  further  orders 
in  the  back  yard,  but  he  shook  his  head.  Finding  him  indisposed 
to  talk  in  the  presence  of  a  stranger,  Sue  escorted  him  back  to  the 
woodpile,  where  the  conference  had  begun.  ^ 

"  I  dunno  nuthin'  'bout  dat  man,"  said  the  lad,  pointing  with 
his  thumb  back  over  his  shoulder  toward  the  house.  "  I  ain't  gwy 
talk  where  he  is.  He  mout  give  me  away." 

"  Very  well.  I've  sent  for  Marse  Ran.  You  stay  here  until  he 
comes." 

Pete  shook  his  head  again. 

"Can't  you  stay?" 


Pete  Kinchen  Goes  in  Quest  of  His  Mother's  Cow.    77 

"  Naw'm;  my  mammy  don't  'low  me  to  loaf  'round  de.  country. 
She  done  tole  me  dat  many  times." 

"  I  want  Marse  Ran  to  talk  with  you.  How  can  he  see  you 
if  you  go  away  ?  " 

The  lad  reflected  a  while  before  he  replied: 

"  You  tell  him  to  ride  down  de  road  twell  he  gits  to  de  place 
whar  de  crick  crosses  it,  beyant  Marse  Billy  Winston's.  When 
he  crosses  de  crick  let  him  ride  on  slow  a  little  piece  furder.  Me 
and  Jineral  Beauregard  will  be  in  de  woods  on  t'other  side  de 
crick  waitin'  for  him." 

"  How  long  can  you  wait  there  ?  " 

"  I  kin  wait  dar  all  day." 

"  And  you  will  wait  till  Marse  Ran  comes  ?  " 

"  Yas'm." 

"  All  right ;  he  will  ride  down  that  road  just  as  soon  as  I  can 
find  him  and  send  him  along.  You  and  your  dog  can  go  now." 

"  You  ain't  gwy  give  us  away  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Dis  here  yuther  white  man  in  de  house,  he  ain't  gwy  give 
us  away  ?  " 

"  No." 

The  lad  turned  and  left  the  premises,  with  the  ever-faithful 
General  Beauregard  at  his  heels.  Sue  walked  back  into  the  house, 
and  Teddy  Mclntosh  in  a  few  minutes  was  off  on  a  quest  for 
Pearson.  He  found  him  about  noon,  and  after  a  brief  conference, 
Teddy  was  sent  off  to  summon  about  fifteen  or  twenty  trusted 
men,  while  Pearson  proceeded  without  delay  to  the  place  on  the 
highway  where  he  was  to  meet  the  boy.  Mclntosh  himself,  and 
all  the  citizens  he  was  to  notify,  were  members  of  the  organization 
which  had  been  recently  formed.  The  purpose  was  to  assemble 
these  as  quietly  as  possible  and  capture  the  murderer  before  the 
general  public  had  learned  that  his  lurking  place  had  been  discov 
ered.  With  this  end  in  view  Mclntosh  was  instructed  to  be  as 
reserved  as  the  nature  of  his  errand  would  permit,  and  to  caution 
each  man  notified  not  to  confer  with  others  outside  the  order,  but 
to  go  quietly  to  a  designated  spot  to  which  Pearson  was  to  re 
turn  after  his  interview  with  the  lad. 

In  the  very  nature  of  things,  however,  it  was  impossible  to  keep 
from  the  community  a  grave  secret  which  had  to  be  imparted  in 
rapid  succession  to  fifteen  or  twenty  different  farmers  scattered 


78  The  K.  K.  K. 

about  over  the  neighborhood.  The  very  fact  that  secrecy  was 
sought  to  be  preserved  perhaps  caused  the  truth,  or  a  suspicion 
of  the  truth,  to  spread  more  rapidly  over  the  country,  and  it  was 
soon  generally  understood  that  something  was  in  the  wind,  and 
that  Sue  Bascombe  could  tell  all  about  it  if  she  would.  Very 
soon  this  young  lady  had  more  company  than  she  cared  to  enter 
tain,  and  was  asked  more  questions  than  she  could  politely  parry ; 
so,  being  a  matter-of-fact  girl,  she  plainly  told  all  comers  that  a 
secret  of  some  consequence  had  been  imparted  to  her  that  morn 
ing,  and  that  she  proposed  to  keep  it.  Everybody  then  jumped  to 
the  conclusion  that  those  in  the  secret  had  gotten  on  the  fresh 
trail  of  the  murderer,  and,  being  determined  to  join  in  the  chase, 
boys  and  men  soon  gathered  from  the  four  points  of  the  compass, 
and,  by  following  those  who  had  been  summoned,  rallied  with 
the  members  of  the  clan  at  the  appointed  place  of  rendezvous. 
Here  they  remained  for  quite  a  while,  talking  with  each  other  in 
loud  and  excited  tones,  and  waiting  impatiently  for  they  knew 
not  what. 

Pearson,  following  the  directions  that  had  been  given  him,  met 
the  negro  boy  Pete  in  the  wood  beyond  the  creek,  and  was  escorted 
to  a  rising  piece  of  ground  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
road.  A  tall  dead  tree  was  then  pointed  out,  about  a  half-mile 
still  further  on,  and  near  the  summit  of  the  ridge  which  the  two 
were  ascending. 

"  Dar  whar  he  is,"  said  the  boy.  "  Dat  tree  is  on  the  aidge  of  a 
little  broom  sage  field,  and  in  dat  broom  sage  field  you  gwy  find 
at  de  fur  end  a  briar  patch  so  thick  dat  a  hog  couldn't  git  through 
widout  scratchin'  hisseff  more'n  he  gwy  scratch  hisseff  ef  he  kin 
help  it.  Right  in  dar  is  dat  Flyin'  Dutchman,  which  is  buzzum 
friend  to  de  devil.  Jineral  Beauregard  found  him  dar  this  morn- 
in',  and  he  dar  right  now  ef  he  ain't  riz  up  and  flewd  off  some- 
whars  else." 

Pearson  noted  the  place  carefully,  and  after  thanking  the  boy, 
and  rewarding  him  with  a  silver  coin,  he  led  his  horse  back  to  the 
road,  and,  mounting,  galloped  toward  the  spot  where  the  others 
had  been  directed  to  await  his  coming.  Here  he  found  a  much 
larger  crowd  than  he  had  expected  or  wished  to  see.  The  captain 
and  several  others  of  the  secret  order  were  absent,  and  Pearson 
took  command,  therefore,  of  the  entire  assemblage,  telling  them 
if  they  wished  to  capture  the  outlaw  they  must  proceed  quietly 
and  obey  his  orders  literally.  After  proceeding  a  short  distance, 


Pete  Kinchen  Goes  in  Quest  of  His  Mother's  Cow.    79 

he  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  about  a  dozen  picked  men,  in 
structing  Mclntosh,  with  the  rest  of  the  assemblage,  about  ten 
times  as  numerous,  to  follow  on  without  noise  or  discourse  a  few 
hundred  yards  in  the  rear.  This  order  was  obeyed  for  a  while 
with  reasonable  strictness,  but  as  the  crowd  advanced  they  became 
more  impatient  and  more  unmanageable,  and  before  they  had  ac 
complished  half  of  their  proposed  journey,  they  trod  close  on  the 
heels  of  the  advance  guard.  Pearson,  in  low  tones,  cautioned 
them  all  to  be  quiet,  and,  calling  a  halt  here,  he  instructed  those 
constituting  the  advance  to  hasten  forward  rapidly,  while  he  him 
self  remained  behind,  and  for  a  brief  while  held  the  crowd  in 
check. 

The  picked  detachment  now  proceeded  noiselessly  with  all  dis 
patch,  and  soon  reached  the  small  broom  sedge  field  of  two  or 
three  acres,  with  the  locality  of  which  some  of  them  were  famil 
iar.  Dispersing  here  as  skirmishers  they  closed  in  promptly  on 
the  briar  thicket  thait  grew  against  the  bluff  on  the  upper  side. 
Before  they  had  quite  succeeded  in  doing  this  the  crowd  in  the 
rear  was  heard  approaching  again  in  disorder,  for  Pearson  had 
found  it  impossible  to  restrain  them.  So  tumultuously  did  those 
now  rush  forward  that  it  was  evident  the  murderer  would  be 
aroused  to  a  sense  of  his  danger,  if  he  had  not  already  made  his 
escape.  Rushing  into  the  broom  sedge  field,  where  the  dead  yel 
low  stems  of  the  preceding  year  stood  waist  high  and  in  thick 
clusters,  they  pressed  forward  hurriedly,  and  without  pretense  of 
order,  upon  the  skirmish  line  in  front.  While  they  were  thus  in 
tent  on  reaching  the  murderer's  supposed  hiding  place  close 
against  the  bluff,  suddenly  from  their  midst,  and  in  the  rear  of 
most  of  them,  a  wild  looking  creature  rose,  and,  without  utterance 
of  any  kind,  darted  swiftly  down  the  hill  in  the  direction  from 
which  they  had  come.  The  front  detachment,  the  men  being  a 
considerable  distance  apart,  had  passed  him  without  notice,  and 
none  of  those  rushing  pell-mell  in  the  rear  had  thought  to  ex 
amine  narrowly  the  thick  broom  sedge  to  see  if  a  human  being 
was  lurking  there. 

"  Here  he  goes,  here  he  goes !  "  cried  a  few  of  those  next  at 
hand,  when  the  fugitive  made  his  break  from  the  midst  of  the 
crowd  assembled  to  capture  him.  Then  a  pistol  shot  rang  out, 
confused  cries  arose,  and  the  most  part  for  a  few  moments  were 
uncertain  as  to  the  cause  of  the  disturbance.  Presently,  however, 
they  were  given  to  understand  that  the  game  had  been  jumped 


8o  The  K.  K.  K. 

and  was  scurrying  away,  and,  facing  about  as  hurriedly  as  they 
could,  they  gave  rapid  pursuit,  each  man  for  himself. 

Those  composing  the  skirmish  line  were  in  front  when  the  out 
cry  was  raised,  and  consequently  brought  up  the  rear  as  the  whole 
assemblage  faced  about  and  gave  mad  chase  down  the  hill.  The 
pursuit  was  so  reckless  that  the  men  engaged  in  it  impeded 
each  other  in  their  efforts  to  make  speed.  Pistol  shots  were 
fired  at  random,  and  the  foremost  among  the  pursuers  for  a 
few  moments  found  themselves  in  more  danger  than  the  fugi 
tive  himself.  This  wild  shooting  ceased  after  a  little  angry 
remonstrance,  and  the  mob — for  it  was  nothing  else — set  out 
on  a  dead  run  down  the  hill,  determined  to  capture  or  kill 
the  scoundrel  in  front  before  the  chase  was  over. 

The  murderer  sped  now  as  only  a  desperate  wretch  can  who 
feels  that  his  life  depends  upon  his  fleetness  of  foot.  Springing 
madly  down  the  steep  side  of  the  ridge,  he  did  not  take  steps 
as  a  human  being  ordinarily  would,  but  went  forward  by  great 
leaps,  like  a  hunted  deer,  with  the  pack  in  full  cry  behind  him. 
It  was  plain  to  see,  too,  that  he  was  making  headway  on  his 
pursuers,  and  yells  of  vengeance  arose  in  his  rear,  which  prompted 
him  to  renewed  effort.  Shots  were  still  fired  at  him  by  those 
nearest,  bullets  whizzed  around  him,  but  these  neither  pierced  his 
body  nor  frightened  him — as  was  hoped — into  halting  and  sur 
rendering.  He  felt  sure  that  instant  death  would  be  his  portion 
if  he  was  caught,  and  therefore  resolved  to  take  all  chances 
rather  than  become  a  prisoner.  Now  he  leaped  through  bushes 
that  snatched  from  him  fragments  of  his  already  scant  supply  of 
clothing;  now  he  tripped  and  fell  in  his  desperate  race,  but  rising, 
sped  onward  without  pause  in  his  flight ;  now  tucking  his  head  to 
dodge  deadly  missiles;  now  running  erect  to  facilitate  speed,  he 
dashed  without  thought  as  to  whither  his  steps  were  bent,  away, 
away,  away  from  the  mob  yelling  madly  in  his  rear. 

Two  or  three  vicious  cur  dogs,  that  had  been  brought  along  by 
their  owners,  now  distanced  all  human  competitors  in  the  chase, 
and,  closing  in  on  the  fleeing  outlaw,  began  snapping  at  him,  oc 
casionally  sinking  their  sharp  teeth  into  his  flesh,  so  as  to  cause 
the  blood  to  flow  freely.  He  heeded  them  not  the  least — most  prob 
ably  in  his  excitement  was  scarcely  aware  of  their  presence — and, 
with  his  whole  mind  centered  on  the  supreme  effort  he  was  mak 
ing,  ran  with  all  his  might  the  desperate  race  before  him.  Near 
the  foot  of  the  hill  was  a  narrow  country  road  which  he  must 


Pete  Kinchen  Goes  in  Quest  of  His  Mother's  Cow.    81 

cross,  and  as  he  leaped  nimbly  into  this  he  found  himself  within 
a  few  feet  of  a  man  on  horseback,  who  apparently  had  been  await 
ing  his  approach. 

"  Halt !  "  said  the  man  on  horseback,  aiming  at  the  same  time 
an  ugly  looking  pistol  at  the  fugitive. 

Ankerstrom  halted,  and,  looking  up,  recognized  the  individual 
who  had  brought  him  to  a  stand.  It  was  Sheriff  Sanderson. 
Pearson  had  sent  a  runner  for  him,  and  he  arrived  on  the  scene 
of  action  just  in  time  to  render  efficient  service  to  the  cause  of  jus 
tice.  He  sat  now  quietly  on  his  horse,  with  his  pistol  directed 
toward  the  panting  murderer,  and  his  forefinger  resting  lightly 
against  the  trigger.  In  a  few  seconds  the  angry  mob  was  down 
upon  them.  As  they  recognized  the  figure  of  Ankerstrom  stand 
ing  close  by  in  the  road  the  foremost  raised  a  yell  of  triumph,  but 
when  they  caught  sight  of  the  sheriff  and  his  pistol,  they  dis 
creetly  came  to  a  halt  also,  not  caring  to  bring  themselves  directly 
in  range. 

Sheriff  Sanderson  was  a  brave  man,  and  one  who  was  minded 
at  all  times  to  do  his  duty  as  a  public  officer.  He  saw  now,  how 
ever,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  protect  the  panting 
wretch  before  him  from  the  vengeance  of  his  pursuers,  unless 
there  were  among  those  giving  chase  a  few  prudent  men  who 
could  be  induced  to  come  to  the  aid  of  the  law.  Angry  citizens 
now  filled  the  road  behind  him  and  formed  a  surging  line  on 
both  sides  in  front,  leaving  open  only  the  narrow  space  covered 
by  his  pistol,  in  the  center  of  which  stood  the  scowling,  panting 
captive.  Casting  his  eye  over  the  excited  mass  of  human  beings, 
he  recognized  Randolph  Pearson  standing  in  the  rear,  among 
the  latest  arrivals  on  the  ground. 

"  I  want  ten  good  men  to  assist  me  in  taking  this  fellow  to  jail," 
proclaimed  the  sheriff  in  a  calm  tone.  "  Who  will  volunteer?  " 

"  I  will,"  responded  Pearson,  promptly.  "And  I  think  there  are 
others  here  who  will  be  willing  to  aid  in  upholding  the  law." 

As  Pearson  said  this  he  pushed  his  way  through  the  crowd 
in  front  of  him,  and  stepping  into  the  road  in  front  of  the  sheriff's 
pistol,  he  laid  his  hands  on  Ankerstrom. 

"  I  want  ten  men,"  said  the  sheriff.  "  Who  else  will  volun 
teer?" 

One  by  one  nine  other  men  stepped  into  the  road,  and,  each  with 
his  pistol  in  his  hand,  formed  a  guard  around  the  prisoner. 

The  sheriff  then  addressed  those  about  him  pleasantly. 
6 


82  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  You  see  how  'tis,  men,"  he  said.  "  This  here  fellow's  got  to 
go  to  jail  with  me." 

"  It's  a  damned  shame,"  cried  an  angry  man  in  the  crowd. 

"  It's  an  infernal  outrage,"  proclaimed  another. 

"  Let's  take  the  scoundrel  and  hang  him  to  a  limb,"  shouted  a 
third  individual. 

"  There's  a  law  in  this  country,  gentlemen,"  calmly  replied  the 
sheriff. 

By  this  time  Ankerstrom's  wrists  had  been  securely  linked  with 
a  pair  of  handcuffs  which  the  sheriff  drew  from  his  pocket  for 
the  purpose.  He  snarled  like  a  caged  animal  as  they  fettered  him, 
but  made  no  actual  resistance,  for  he  knew  their  protection  af 
forded  him  a  temporary  respite  from  the  hanging  he  deserved. 
Pearson  now  stepped  back  a  little  way  from  the  prisoner,  and  in 
a  few  earnest  words  addressed  the  embittered  mob  of  men  and 
boys  about  him. 

"  I  know  you  are  all  indignant,"  he  said,  "  and  it  is  not  at  all 
surprising  that  you  should  be.  If  ever  a  fellow  on  earth  de 
served  hanging  I  reckon  this  scoundrel  here  does ;  but  it  doesn't 
follow  that  we  should  take  it  on  ourselves  to  do  the  hanging.  As 
Sheriff  Sanderson  says,  there's  a  law  in  this  country.  If  we  over 
ride  that  law,  we  not  only  teach  others  to  do  the  same,  but  we 
bring  our  community  into  disrepute  before  the  world." 

"  When  monstrous  outrages  cease,  mob  law  will  cease,"  cried 
a  man  in  the  crowd. 

"  I've  heard  that  remark  before,"  replied  Pearson,  "  and,  in  my 
opinion,  the  man  that  utters  it  offers  a  very  poor  excuse  for  an 
indefensible  act.  The  question  for  us,  my  friends,  is  not  whether 
criminals  shall  be  punished  for  their  misdeeds,  but  whether  in  this 
enlightened  age  we  can  find  no  better  method  of  suppressing  crime 
than  having  angry  mobs  rise  up  in  haste  to  wreak  vengeance  on 
the  supposed  offender.  I  believe — I  know — this  vile  creature  here 
to  be  worthy  of  death,  but  let  the  law  be  his  executioner." 

"  Suppose  the  law  won't  do  it?  " 

"  I'll  not  admit  that  until  I'm  compelled  to  admit  it,"  replied 
Pearson.  "  You  need  have  no  apprehension,  my  friends,"  he  con 
tinued,  raising  his  voice  so  that  all  could  hear.  "  This  is  a  plain 
case,  and  justice  will  be  speedily  administered  through  the  courts. 
Grave  crimes  must  be  punished,  and  promptly  punished.  Honest 
men  and  women  must  have  protection  against  midnight  murderers 
and  other  horrible  villains.  But  trust  to  the  law,  trust  to  the  law. 


Pete  Kinchen  Goes  in  Quest  of  His  Mother's  Cow.    83 

Let  us  not  advertise  to  the  world  that  we  have  evils  which  our 
laws  are  incapable  of  redressing." 

So  Sheriff  Sanderson  and  a  respectable  posse  comitatus  es 
corted  the  rascal,  Johan  Ankerstrom,  to  the  county  jail.  The 
crowd  that  had  given  such  hot  pursuit  was  compelled  to  disband 
without  wreaking  vengeance  on  the  object  of  their  chase.  The 
search  for  the  murderer  of  the  widow  Bascombe  was  at  last  ended, 
and  the  people  of  the  community  slept  more  soundly  when  they 
learned  that  the  savage  creature  of  whom  all  stood  in  dread  had 
been  caught  running  wild  on  the  hills,  and  was  now  fast  locked 
behind  prison  doors. 


84  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BETTY  HIGHTOWER'S  HUSBAND  HAS  A  PLEASANT  CONFAB  WITH  THE 
SHERIFF'S  WIFE. 

WHEN  Sheriff  Sanderson  had  eaten  his  supper  and  smoked  his 
pipe,  he  ordered  two  fresh  horses  brought  round  from  the  stable, 
in  the  rear  of  the  jail.  He  was  a  good  farmer  as  well  as  an  ef 
ficient  officer  of  the  State,  was  Sheriff  Sanderson,  and  known  all 
the  country  round  as  an  excellent  judge  of  horseflesh.  On  his 
well-kept  place,  a  little  way  out  from  the  county  town,  he  raised 
stock  of  all  kinds  for  the  market,  and  in  his  business  trips  over 
his  bailiwick  he  often  effected  sales  to  purchasers  who  had  ready 
cash,  or  whose  credit  was  known  by  him  to  be  good.  Everybody 
understands  that  horse-traders,  as  a  rule,  are  common  liars,  but 
Sanderson  could  be  relied  on  to  state  candidly  even  the  demerits 
of  the  animal  he  was  offering  to  dispose  of.  He  would  have 
scorned  to  file  the  teeth  of  an  old  horse  to  make  his  mouth  belie 
his  years,  and  for  no  consideration  would  he  have  foisted  a  moon- 
eyed  animal  off  on  a  customer  at  a  time  when  the  earth's  satellite 
was  at  a  stage  most  favorable  for  the  execution  of  such  a  scheme. 
In  lieu  of  all  such  contemptible  tricks  of  the  trade,  he  sought  to 
build  up  for  himself  a  reputation  for  honesty  and  fair-dealing, 
and  there  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  fact  that  he  profited  by  this 
course  in  the  long  run. 

To-night,  as  said,  the  sheriff  ordered  brought  round  from  his 
stable  two  of  his  best  horses,  which  indicated  that  he  was  minded 
to  go  upon  a  journey  of  some  length.  The  animals,  being  led 
forth,  were  fastened  to  a  rack  near  the  gate,  while  the  officer  sat 
on  the  front  steps  of  the  building  that  was  occupied  both  as  a 
prison  and  a  residence. 

Presently  came  one  on  horseback,  and,  reining  up  at  the  gate, 
cried  "  Hello,"  which  is  the  common  method  of  salutation  in  that 
benighted  part  of  the  world.  The  sheriff,  without  reply,  retired 
into  the  house  and  soon  reissued  with  another  gentleman,  who 


Betty  Hightower's  Husband  has  a  Pleasant  Confab.  85 

must  have  been  a  particular  friend  of  his,  as  he  held  him  affection 
ately  by  the  arm.  By  the  time  these  two  reached  the  gate  the  indi 
vidual  who  cried  "  Hello,"  had  dismounted  and  unhitched  the 
horses  that  stood  tied  to  the  rack.  When  the  sheriff  and  his  friend 
came  up  he  assisted  the  latter  to  mount,  and  the  three  then  rode 
away  from  the  jail,  proceeding  at  a  leisurely  gait.  They  did  not 
pass  through  the  town,  but  circled  around  it,  and  came  on  the  far 
side  into  a  broad,  beaten  highway,  which  they  followed.  The 
general  direction  of  this  road  was  down  the  Cumberland  River, 
though  for  much  of  the  way  it  ran  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  stream.  It  was  known  as  the  Coopertown  road,  and  led  to  a 
burg  by  that  name  about  thirty  miles  below  on  the  river.  If  the 
horsemen  were  bound  for  this  place,  it  was  evident  they  had  an  all- 
night  ride  before  them. 

As  the  three  horsemen  proceeded  along  this  river  road,  the  sin 
gular  circumstance  might  have  been  noticed  that  one  of  them 
traveled  with  his  wrists  fastened  together  in  front,  while  his  arms 
were  pinioned  close  to  his  body  by  a  strap  that  bound  them  firmly 
from  behind.  This  man  rode  always  in  the  center,  one  of  his 
companions  preceding  him,  while  the  other,  the  sheriff,  brought 
up  the  rear.  A  rope  halter  was  fastened  to  the  bridle  of  his  horse, 
and  by  means  of  this  the  individual  in  front  led  the  animal  along. 
The  man  with  his  arms  pinioned  could  not  have  guided  his  steed, 
therefore,  if  he  had  so  chosen.  He  might  have  leaped  from  his 
horse  and  made  off  on  foot,  but  refrained  perhaps  from  fear  of 
being  checked  by  a  pistol  ball  from  the  quiet  individual  who  jour 
neyed  in  his  rear.  Thus  they  rode  on  in  silence,  nothing  but  the 
steady  tramp  of  the  horses  informing  the  folk  along  the  road  that 
a  party  of  mounted  men  were  passing  in  the  night. 

Several  hours  after  Sheriff  Sanderson  and  his  two  companions 
had  set  out  from  the  jail  a  company  of  forty  or  fifty  horsemen 
rode  two  by  two  down  the  main  street  of  the  village.  It  was  now 
past  midnight.  The  lights  in  the  houses  had  all  been  extinguished, 
and  the  stores  had  been  barred  and  shuttered  until  the  following 
day.  Deep  sleep  had  fallen  on  most  of  the  dwellers  of  the  place, 
and  only  the  aimless  barking  of  dogs  disturbed  the  quiet  of  the 
night.  As  the  horsemen  entered  the  town  these  dogs  discovered 
something  to  bark  at,  and  opened  up  with  redoubled  vociferation 
and  vehemence.  Signs  of  life  now  came  from  the  houses  along 
the  way.  Here  and  there  a  shutter  was  cautiously  opened  and 
hurriedly  closed  again, 


86  The  K.  K.  K 

When  the  horsemen  reached  the  square  they  came  to  a  halt. 
About  a  third  of  the  number  here  dismounted,  leaving  their  horses 
to  the  care  of  the  remainder.  Those  on  foot  then  proceeded  noise 
lessly,  but  rapidly,  toward  the  jail.  All  was  dark  as  they  ap 
proached.  Reaching  the  front  door  of  the  building  one  of  the 
number  rapped  loudly  upon  it. 

A  light  appeared  from  an  upper  window  and  a  woman's  head 
was  thrust  out.  "  What  is  it  ?  "  inquired  this  woman,  in  a  high, 
shrill  tone,  which  those  below  thought  indicative  of  nervousness. 

"  We've  got  a  prisoner  here,  ma'am/'  replied  one  of  the  party 
at  the  door.  "  A  chap  from  Nashville  that  there's  a  pretty  good 
reward  for.  Ask  your  husband  to  come  down  and  get  him,  for 
we  want  to  be  quit  of  him." 

"  John  isn't  here  right  now,"  said  the  woman  at  the  window, 
"  and  he  tells  me  never  to  open  the  door  at  night  when  he's 
away.  Come  back  again  in  the  morning." 

;'  That's  rather  hard  on  us.    Where  is  John?  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know ;  uptown,  maybe — I  don't  know." 

'*  Tell  us  where  he  is  and  we'll  go  hunt  him." 

"  Oh,  you  couldn't  find  him,  I  reckon.  I  almost  know  you 
couldn't.  Come  back  again  in  the  morning." 

"  Mrs.  Sanderson,"  said  the  gentleman  below,  who  was  spokes 
man  for  the  party,  "  you  ought  to  know  me.  This  is  Watkins, 
from  up  on  Marrowbone  Creek.  I  voted  for  your  husband  the 
last  time  he  run,  and  I'm  going  to  do  the  same  thing  the  next 
time  I  get  a  chance.  You  know  me,  don't  you,  Mrs.  Sanderson  ?  " 

"  Why,  for  sure !  That  isn't  Billy  Watkins  that  married  Betty 
Hightower,  is  it  ?  " 

"  Just  exactly  who  it  is,  ma'am." 

"Well,  I  declare!" 

"  Let  us  in  now,  please,  ma'am.  We  are  all  dead  tired  and  want 
to  get  some  sleep  to-night.  Give  us  the  keys  and  we'll  lock  this 
fellow  up  ourselves." 

"You're  right  sure  that's  Billy  Watkins  that  married  Betty 
Hightower?" 

"  No  mistake  in  the  world  about  it,  Mrs.  Sanderson.  I  can 
prove  it  by  all  these  gentlemen  here  with  me." 

"  This  is  Billy  Watkins,  ma'am,"  asserted  several  of  that  gen 
tleman's  companions.  "  It's  him  and  no  mistake." 

"  Well,  then,  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  let  you  all  in.  It's  dead 
against  John's  rules,  but  I  reckon  I'll  have  to  do  it." 

The  head  was   withdrawn   from  the  upper  window  and   a 


Betty  Hightower's  Husband  has  a  Pleasant  Confab.  87 

woman's  light  step  was  soon  heard  on  the  stairway,  accompanied 
by  the  jingling  of  keys.  There  was  a  fumbling  about  the  lock,  an 
impatient  exclamation  or  two  from  the  inside  and  the  bolt  was 
drawn  back  and  the  ponderous  door  swung  wide  open. 

A  dozen  strong  men  swarmed  into  the  hall  and  surrounded  the 
sheriff's  wife.  "  Mrs.  Sanderson,"  explained  Mr.  Watkins,  po 
litely,  "  we  don't  wish  to  alarm  you.  We're  not  going  to  hurt  you, 
ma'am ;  you  may  rest  assured  of  that.  We've  come  for  that  scoun 
drel,  Cross-eyed  Jack,  though,  and  have  him  we  must  and  will. 
So  please,  ma'am,  give  us  up  the  keys." 

"  Why,  gentlemen,"  replied  the  sheriff's  wife,  pleasantly,  "  John 
took  that  fellow  away  with  him  directly  after  supper,  and  where 
he's  gone  to  goodness  only  knows." 

"  I  thought  you  said  John  was  uptown  somewhere  ?  " 

"  Oh,  so  I  did,  Mr.  Watkins.  One  has  to  tell  little  fibs  some 
times  in  this  business.  You  gentlemen  surely  understand  that." 

"  May  we  search  the  house  ?  " 

"  Oh,  certainly^  I'll  go  around  with  you.  We've  only 
got  two  prisoners  just  now;  one  a  white  boy  charged  with  being 
crazy ;  the  other  a  negro  for  shooting  craps." 

Watkins  and  Mrs.  Sanderson  went  up  and  inspected  the  two 
prisoners,  who  were  both  asleep  on  one  pallet.  There  was  an 
other  cell  or  cage  in  the  large  room,  but  it  was  empty.  On  the  re 
turn  trip  Watkins  came  first  down  the  stairway,  while  Mrs.  San 
derson  followed,  jingling  her  keys.  When  they  reached  the  lower 
hall  where  the  others  waited  they  all  stood  regarding  each  other  in 
silence. 

"  This  is  bad,"  said  Watkins,  after  a  little,  in  a  disappointed 
tone. 

"  It  is,  indeed,"  replied  Mrs.  Sanderson,  sighing  as  if  she  had 
met  with  a  misfortune. 

Then  the  men  in  the  hall  stood  round  awkwardly  a  few  minutes 
longer. 

"  How  is  Betty  Hightower  these  days  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Sander 
son,  politely. 

"  She's  well  enough,  I  reckon,"  answered  Mr.  Watkins,  gruffly. 

Then  the  men,  one  by  one,  passed  out  at  the  front  door,  only 
two  or  three  saying  "  Good-night."  When  they  reached  the  street 
some  indulged  in  profane  language,  while  others  laughed  aloud. 
Mrs.  Sanderson  bolted  the  door  behind  them,  and,  going  upstairs, 
resumed  her  nap  where  she  had  left  off  a  half-hour  before. 


88  The  K.  K.  K. 

It  was  broad  daylight  when  the  sheriff  and  his  night-riding 
friend  reached  the  respectable  city  of  Coopertown,  perched  high 
on  the  banks  of  the  swiftly-flowing  Cumberland.  They  proceeded 
directly  to  a  strongly  constructed  building,  with  barred  windows, 
situated  not  far  from  the  water's  edge,  and  here  the  three  dis 
mounted.  By  the  cheerful  light  of  day  it  could  be  easily  discerned 
that  the  individual  who  had  ridden  between  the  other  two  men 
was  decidedly  cross-eyed  and  of  repulsive  visage  generally.  This 
individual  was  now  turned  over  to  the  keeper  of  the  strong  build 
ing  and  a  receipt  taken  for  him  as  if  he  had  been  a  piece  of  bag 
gage.  This  formality  dispensed  with,  the  cross-eyed  man  was 
locked  up  in  a  rather  cramped  apartment,  while  Sanderson  and 
his  remaining  companion  of  the  night  ride  sat  down  with  the  head 
of  the  establishment  to  a  hearty  breakfast.  The  party  hobnobbed 
here  pleasantly  for  an  hour  or  so,  for  they  were  all  on  excellent 
terms,  and  before  they  separated  Sanderson  sold  a  horse  to  the 
head  of  the  establishment,  who  never  had  occasion,  that  I  know 
of,  to  repent  of  his  bargain. 

Johan  Ankerstrom,  alias  Cross-eyed  Jack,  languished  in  prison 
at  Coopertown  from  day  to  day,  and  from  week  to  week,  and 
was  by  all  odds,  the  jailer  said,  the  most  disagreeable  boarder  that 
had  ever  found  lodging  within  the  walls  of  his  house.  He  sulked, 
grumbled  about  his  fare  and  everything  else,  and  when  the  least 
provoked,  uttered  guttural  oaths  in  fragments  of  several  different 
languages.  Finally  he  called  for  pen  and  paper  and  wrote  a 
scrawling,  whining  letter  back  to  the  home  of  his  childhood,  say 
ing  he  was  in  a  desperate  predicament  and  needed  help.  The 
sheriff,  having  read  this  epistle  through  in  the  presence  of  the 
prisoner,  thought  he  had  summed  up  the  situation  correctly  and 
promised  to  mail  the  document  for  him.  This  promise  he  speed 
ily  complied  with,  and  never  received  from  the  vicious  Johan  even 
a  thank  for  his  courtesy.  As  to  whether  the  recipients  of  the  ruf 
fian's  message  treated  him  with  equal  indifference,  the  reader  will 
soon  be  informed. 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Hooks  a  Client  for  the  Firm.     89 


^  CHAPTER  XL 

LAWYER    PALAVER   GIVES   VENT   TO    RIGHTEOUS    INDIGNATION,    AND 
LAWYER  SLOWBOY  HOOKS  A  CLIENT  FOR  THE  FIRM. 

"  BEATS  all  the  damned  doings  that  ever  was  heard  of,"  cried 
Lawyer  Palaver,  clapping  his  clenched  fist  down  emphatically 
upon  the  table.  "  Why,  sir,  they  ran  my  man  round  up  yonder  in 
that  infernal  hill  country  as  if  he  had  been  a  rabbit — chased  him, 
sir,  with  dogs  through  a  briar  thicket  and  a  broom  sedge  patch ; 
tore  his  clothes,  bloodied  his  legs  and  sent  bullets  whizzing 
around  his  head  while  he  was  running.  Oh,  they  are  great  fel 
lows,  up  in  that  country,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  That's  pretty  bad,"  said  the  friend,  who  was  taking  a  convivial 
glass  with  the  lawyer.  "  What  had  your  man  done  ?  " 

"  Done  ?  Why,  sir,  you'll  be  astonished  to  learn  he  hadn't  done 
a  damned  thing  except  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  when  a 
howling  mob  was  at  his  heels.  They've  got  no  case  at  all  against 
my  man,  I  tell  you.  No  case  at  all.  Mark  my  prediction,  sir,  the 
jury  won't  be  out  ten  minutes,  after  they  hear  the  judge's  charge, 
before  they  bring  in  a  verdict  of  acquittal.  No,  sir,  they  won't  be 
out  five  minutes.  No,  sir,  I'm  damned  if  I  believe  they'll  ever 
leave  the  box." 

"  How  was  it  the  mob  got  after  your  man  so  hotly?  " 

"  No  wonder  you  inquire,  sir,  and  I'll  tell  you  just  exactly  how 
it  was.  Up  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills  when  a  crime  is  committed 
they  rise  up  and  kill  three  or  four  people,  and  then  take  the 
trouble  to  inquire  into  the  matter.  That's  the  way  they  do  business 
up  in  that  infernal  country.  Well,  sir,  you  understand,  up  there 
somebody  had  murdered  an  old  woman  in  the  night.  Bad  piece 
of  work,  sir ;  no  doubt  about  that.  Calculated  to  exasperate  them, 
which  it  did.  Well,  sir,  they  rose  up  and  seem  to  have  found  the 
right  man  pretty  quick.  Of  course  they  made  short  work  of  him, 
but  that  only  whetted  their  appetites.  When  a  tiger  gets  a  taste  of 
blood  he's  a  bad  tiger  for  some  time  afterward,  and  when  a  mob 


90  The  K.  K.  K. 

gets  started  up  in  that  hill  country  they're  hell  to  stop.  My  man 
is  a  foreigner,  and  don't  catch  onto  things,  you  see,  like  our  folks. 
When  he  found  the  whole  country  on  a  rampage  he  got  a  big 
scare  on  him  and  tried  to  hide.  Then  it  was  they  got  dogs  and 
set  out  to  catch  him  and  kill  him.  So  they  would  have  done,  but 
luckily  he  saw  the  sheriff  of  the  county  passing  and  fled  to  that 
officer  for  protection.  That's  the  tale,  sir,  and  a  devil  of  a  tale 
it  is,  as  I  think  you'll  agree  with  me.  The  sheriff  brought  the  poor 
fellow  down  here  for  safe-keeping,  and  that  very  night  the  mob 
surrounded  the  jail  at  Ashton,  howling  for  his  blood.  Oh,  them 
fellows  were  fatally  bent  on  mischief,  I  tell  you." 

"  Your  client  seems  to  have  had  a  pretty  close  shave  of  it." 

"  Didn't  he,  though  ?  He  got  off  by  the  skin  of  his  teeth,  as  the 
saying  goes.  It's  an  outrage,  sir,  the  way  he  was  treated — an 
infamous  outrage,  and  somebody  ought  to  be  made  to  smoke  for 
it.  Why,  sir,  my  client's  folks  are  among  the  very  best  people  up 
round  Chicago.  The  Ankerstroms,  I  tell  you,  are  highly  re 
spected  there.  Thrifty,  thrifty,  thrifty.  You  haven't  met  the  old 
man,  have  you  ?  " 

"  Never  saw  him." 

"  Fine  old  citizen,  fine  old  citizen.  Distressed  to  death  over  the 
trouble  his  son  has  gotten  into.  Afraid  it  will  injure  the  standing 
of  the  family.  I  tell  him  by  the  time  we  get  through  the  shoe  will 
be  on  the  other  foot.  Certain  gentlemen  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills 
will  be  shown  up  in  their  true  colors,  and  the  advertising  they'll 
get  by  this  affair  won't  help  them  much,  I  can  tell  you.  Palaver 
&  Slowboy  have  been  employed  for  the  prisoner,  and  when  Pal 
aver  &  Slowboy  take  hold  of  a  case  it  doesn't  generally  suffer  for 
lack  of  attention ;  I  think  I  can  say  that  much  for  the  firm,  any 
way." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  the  friend,  wiping  his  lips  after  he  had 
absorbed  the  contents  of  his  glass.  "  You  might  say  a  good  deal 
more  than  that  for  the  firm,  Colonel,  and  not  stretch  the  truth." 

"  Possibly  so,  possibly  so,"  returned  Palaver,  waving  his  hand 
in  a  deprecating  way.  "  As  to  how  that  is  of  course  it's  not  proper 
for  me  to  say.  The  world  knows  Palaver,  and  the  world  knows 
another  thing  damned  well,  and  that  is  that  Palaver  never  blows 
his  own  horn.  One  remark,  however,  I  feel  myself  at  liberty  to 
make  in  this  connection.  One  remark,  which  I  make  bold  to  say, 
sir,  will  not  be  gainsaid  by  any  person  familiar  with  the  facts. 
Whatever  may  be  thought  or  said  of  the  senior  member  of  the 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Hooks  a  Client  for  the  Firm.     91 

firm  of  Palaver  &  Slowboy,  upon  the  junior  member,  sir,  there  is 
no  discount.  Slowboy,  sir,  can  be  relied  on  under  any  and  all  cir 
cumstances  to  do  his  best." 

"  That's  saying  a  good  deal  for  him." 

"  It's  a  high  compliment  upon  him,  sir,  and  it's  a  deserved  com 
pliment.  Wake  Slowboy  up  at  the  dead  hour  of  the  night,  if  you 
will,  with  a  demand  for  his  services,  and,  damn  me,  if  he  don't 
rise  up  and  do  his  best.  He's  a  deserving  young  fellow,  Slowboy 
is.  Faithful,  faithful,  faithful.  Not  brilliant,  I  grant  that.  Not 
showy,  not  a  man  of  parts,  as — ah — perhaps  some  other  persons 
are ;  but,  damn  me,  if  he  isn't  reliable.  It's  the  plodding  fellows 
that  make  the  world  go.  Genius  is  the  poor  moth  that  flits  about 
the  candle,  you  know.  Well,  you  can  look  at  Slowboy  and  tell 
he's  no  genius.  He  was  dull  at  school,  and  he's  dull  yet,  but  he 
gets  there  all  the  same.  Palaver  &  Slowboy,  as  I  was  saying, 
have  this  case  in  hand,  and  the  finding  of  the  jury  will  be  '  Not 
guilty/  as  soon  as  it  comes  the  jury's  time  to  speak.  Maybe  that 
will  be  the  end  of  it ;  maybe  no,  for  I  tell  you  in  confidence  I  ex 
pect  to  get  heavy  damages  out  of  the  lively  gentlemen  back  yonder 
in  the  hills  who  run  human  beings  round  in  the  broom  sedge  with 
dogs  and  shoot  at  'em  for  pastime.  The  first  thing,  though,  of 
course,  is  to  clear  my  man,  and  that,  I  tell  you,  will  be  as  easy  as 
winking.  They've  kicked  up  a  mighty  hullabaloo  over  this  mat 
ter,  but  their  case  when  they  get  into  court  won't  stand  up  long 
enough  to  be  knocked  down,  mark  my  prediction." 

In  this  overwhelmingly  confident  way  did  Lawyer  Palaver  ex 
press  himself  as  to  the  final  outcome  in  the  case  of  the  State  of 
Tennessee  versus  Johan  Ankerstrom,  who  now  languished  in 
jail,  awaiting  his  vindication  at  the  hands  of  a  jury.  As  yet  the 
prosecution  had  advanced  no  farther  than  the  writ  sworn  out  by 
Templeton  shortly  after  the  death  of  the  widow  Bascombe.  He 
had  been  shrewd  enough  to  waive  an  examination  before  a  justice 
of  the  peace  in  the  county  where  his  crime  was  committed, 
and  would  now  be  held  until  the  next  term  of  the  circuit  court  at 
Ashton,  when  a  grand  jury  of  thirteen  good  and  lawful  men 
would  determine  whether  or  no  to  present  a  true  bill  against  him. 
As  the  assembling  of  the  court  was  three  months  off,  and  the  State 
as  yet  had  made  no  effort  to  muster  its  witnesses  against  the  ac 
cused,  it  seemed  a  little  premature  for  his  attorney  to  predict  that 
whenever  he  faced  the  issue  a  triumphant  acquittal  was  a  fore 
gone  conclusion,  But  Palaver  was  one  of  those  sanguine  indi- 


92  The  K.  K.  K. 

viduals  who  always  believed,  and  robustly  maintained,  that  every 
thing  at  all  affecting  his  own  future  was  going  to  turn  out  just 
precisely  as  he  would  like  to  have  it  turn  out.  He  was  invariably 
on  the  right  side  of  a  lawsuit,  had  facts  and  logic  at  his  command 
in  such  formidable  array  that  they  could  not  be  withstood,  and 
was  dead  sure  to  win — until  he  lost.  Then  he  gave  himself  up 
for  a  brief  season  to  righteous  indignation ;  damned  court,  jury, 
and  everybody  who  was  even  remotely  responsible  for  bringing 
disaster  upon  him,  and,  after  thus  venting  his  spleen,  flung  him 
self  with  unabated  ardor  into  the  next  case. 

But  if  Lawyer  Palaver  was  prone  at  all  times  and  under  all  cir 
cumstances  to  take  a  roseate  view  of  the  future,  Lawyer  Slowboy 
was  by  nature  rather  inclined  to  go  to  the  opposite  extreme.  This 
was  singular,  seeing  that  Palaver  was  bald-headed  and  spectacled, 
while  Slowboy  was  in  what  is  usually  termed  the  first  flush  of 
youth,  not  having  yet  reached  his  twenty-third  year.  Neverthe 
less,  Slowboy  was  cautious,  disposed  to  magnify  the  obstacles  he 
always  saw  in  front  of  him,  and  inclined  to  place  altogether  too 
modest  an  estimate  upon  his  own  abilties.  During  the  progress  of 
a  lawsuit  he  was  nervously  apprehensive  as  to  the  result,  until  the 
conclusion  brought  either  success  or  defeat  to  his  cause.  If 
victory  perched  upon  his  banner,  he  sung  the  praises  of  Palaver, 
declaring  that  the  result  was  attributable  alone  to  the  unexampled 
genius  of  that  gentleman.  If  the  firm  encountered  defeat,  Slow- 
boy  took  all  the  blame  on  himself,  and  maintained  among  his  as 
sociates  that  if  he  had  only  done  thus  and  so,  instead  of  this  way 
and  that,  the  final  outcome  in  all  probability  would  have  been  dif 
ferent. 

Slowboy,  as  the  reader  needs  not  to  be  told,  was  an  enthusiastic 
admirer  of  his  chieftain,  Palaver.  When  but  a  small  lad  he  had 
sat  on  the  hard  benches  in  the  rear  of  the  court-room  and  listened 
open-mouthed  as  eloquence  flowed  in  unbroken  current  from  the 
lips  of  the  gifted  gentleman.  He  imagined — Slowboy  did — that 
if  he  could  be  brought  in  close  communion  with  so  talented  a  per 
son,  his  fortune  would  be  made.  His  mother,  fortunately,  was 
kin  to  somebody  who  was  kin  to  Palaver,  and  by  this  roundabout 
means  the  desirable  arrangement  was  at  last  effected.  Slowboy 
went  into  Palaver's  office  as  a  sort  of  clerk  and  general  underling, 
having  the  fact  impressed  upon  him  that  if  he  was  faithful  and 
diligent  he  might,  after  a  while,  hope  to  rise.  If  ever  a  youth  on 
this  earth  was  faithful  and  diligent,  Slowboy  was  faithful  and 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Hooks  a  Client  for  the  Firm.     93 

diligent  in  the  office  of  Lawyer  Palaver.  It  could  not  be  truthfully 
said  of  him  that  he  cleaned  the  windows  and  swept  the  floor,  and 
polished  up  the  handle  of  the  big  front  door,  because,  as  a  matter 
of  fact  this  particular  service  was  not  rendered  by  any  one; 
but  certain  it  is  that  everything  else  in  the  way  of  drudgery 
that  was  done  at  all  was  done  by  Slowboy.  Finally,  as 
the  planet  upon  which  he  abode  revolved  around  the  sun 
the  legs  of  the  patient  underling  lengthened,  and  he  passed 
from  the  gosling  stage  into  one  where  his  voice  more 
nearly  resembled  that  of  a  human  being.  Then  the  girls 
began  to  call  him  Mr.  Slowboy,  and  he  felt  proud.  A  respect 
able  middle-aged  lady  in  the  community  also  felt  proud,  for 
he  was  the  only  son  of  his  mother,  and  she  a  widow.  By  this 
time  he  had  come  to  write  a  neat,  clerkly  hand,  being  very  pains 
taking  in  whatever  he  undertook.  He  had  also,  by  much  cudgel 
ing  of  his  brains,  gotten  himself  well-grounded  in  the  elementary 
principles  of  the  law.  If  he  didn't  understand  a  proposition  laid 
down  in  a  text-book,  he  went  back  and  tackled  it  again,  and 
wrestled  with  it  till  he  did  understand  it,  and  when  he  once  got 
it  into  his  head  it  was  there  to  stay.  As  for  oratory,  he  used  to 
bemoan  in  secret  to  his  mother  the  fact  that  the  English  language 
wasn't  at  his  command  when  he  needed  it,  and  that  his  exasper 
ating  mind  wouldn't  work  when  he  wanted  it  to  work.  The  older 
lawyers  patronized  him,  as  older  lawyers  can  always  be  relied  on 
to  do,  and  fed  him  with  the  hope  that  if  he  would  only  keep  ever 
lastingly  at  it,  he  might,  in  time,  climb  to  the  dizzy  height  on 
which  they  stood.  Thus  encouraged,  Slowboy  kept  plodding 
along.  After  some  years  of  faithful  service  the  auspicious  morn 
ing  dawned  on  which  the  firm  of  Palaver  &  Slowboy  solicited 
their  share  of  public  patronage,  and  then  his  cup  of  happiness  was 
full.  The  articles  of  co-partnership  were  not  perhaps  as  definite 
as  they  might  have  been,  but  they  amounted  in  substance  to  an 
agreement  that  Slowboy  should  do  all  the  work,  and  Palaver 
should  take  all  the  money,  and  this  understanding — subject  to 
such  variation  as  occasional  exigency  demanded — -had  now  ex 
isted  amicably  between  them  for  some  time. 

Some  weeks  before  the  conversation  narrated  in  the  opening  of 
this  chapter  it  happened  that  Slowboy  sitting  in  his  office,  and 
endeavoring  to  extract  the  kernel  from  a  recent  decision  of  the 
Tennessee  Supreme  Court,  was  interrupted  by  a  modest  tap  upon 
his  door.  Bidding  the  person  without  to  open  and  enter,  he  saw 


94  The  K.  K.  K. 

first  a  bared  gray  head  obtruded  into  the  apartment,  and  next  the 
diminutive  person  of  an  individual  evidently  considerably  advanc 
ed  in  years,  but  still  brisk  and  alert  of  movement.  The  little  old 
gentleman  held  his  hat  in  his  hand,  and  bowed  very  low  to  Slow- 
boy  before  making  known  his  business,  or  even  venturing  forward 
to  take  the  chair  that  was  politely  proffered  him.  When  he  did 
take  a  chair  he  hitched  the  heels  of  his  shoes  on  the  bottom  round 
thereof,  and  sat  with  his  knees  unduly  elevated,  and  supporting  his 
elbows,  which  rested  comfortably  upon  them.  This  attitude,  which 
was  partially  justified  by  the  visitor's  shortness  of  legs,  was  never 
theless,  in  the  opinion  of  the  attorney,  unbecoming  and  ungentle- 
manly,  and  S lowboy,  therefore,  at  the  very  outset  of  their  ac 
quaintance  viewed  the  little  old  gentleman  with  suspicion.  There 
was  also  an  air  of  humility  about  him  not  common  with  those 
who  are  accustomed  to  meet  in  daily  intercourse  none  but  their 
equals,  and,  moreover — a  circumstance  which  Slowboy  did  not 
fail  to  note — his  raiment  was  brand  new,  but  of  that  quality  which 
is  usually  handed  down  for  inspection  from  the  shelves  of  cheap 
clothing  stores. 

When  the  old  gentleman  had  taken  a  seat,  and  hooked  his  heels 
firmly  to  the  round  of  his  chair,  and  propped  his  elbows  comfort 
ably  upon  his  knees,  he  inspected  the  entire  apartment  critically, 
as  if  taking  a  mental  inventory  of  all  the  articles  of  value  which 
it  contained.  When  he  had  completed  his  survey  he  turned  to 
Slowboy  and  addressed  him  with  suavity. 

"  Kernell  Perlaffer,  vere  is  he?  " 

"  He's  out,"  replied  Slowboy,  sententiously. 

"  Ah !  "  said  the  little  old  gentleman.  "  You  are  den  perhaps 
de  young  man  ?  " 

"  I'm  his  partner,"  answered  Slowboy,  with  some  pride  mani 
fested  in  his  tone.  "  Palaver  &  Slowboy  is  the  firm." 

"  Ah !  "  said  the  little  old  gentleman,  bowing  again  respectfully 
to  Slowboy.  "  Dat  is  so  ?  Dat  is  so  ?  Perlaffer  &  Slowboy.  Ah ! 
Dat  is  so  ?  Dis  is  Mister  Slowboy,  den  ?  " 

Slowboy  bowed. 

"  Mister  Slowboy,"  said  the  little  old  gentleman,  rising  and  ex 
tending  his  hand,  "  I  haff  de  pleasure." 

The  lawyer  accepted  the  extended  hand  and  gave  it  a  not  very 
cordial  shake.  The  old  gentleman  then  resumed  his  seat  and 
opened  discussion  upon  the  business  that  had  brought  him  thither. 

"  Mister  Slowboy,"  he  began — and  the  lawyer  could  not  help 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Hooks  a  Client  for  the  Firm.     95 

thinking  there  was  veiled  irony  in  the  emphasis  placed  on  the  pre 
fix  to  his  name — "I  haff  a  case  in  de  courts  here,  and  vish  to  know 
vat  you  sharge  for  taking  mine  case  for  me.  Pizness  is  pizness." 

"  What  is  your  case  ?  "  inquired  the  attorney. 

"  I  haff  a  son,  a  mizerble,  onhappy  son,  vat  lies  down  here  in  de 
shail.  S'help  me,  such  a  thing  never  did  happen  to  one  of  de  fam- 
bly  befo',  but  it  haff  happened  now.  My  son  lies  in  de  shail,  and 
I  vould  get  him  out  of  de  shail,  and  I  speaks  to  you  as  mine  f  rient, 
and  mine  lawyer.  Vot  you  sharge  to  take  de  case,  hey?  " 

"  Ankerstrom  is  your  name,"  asserted  Slowboy,  who  had 
learned  that  one  of  the  few  white  persons  in  the  county  prison 
was  a  foreigner  named  Ankerstrom,  charged  with  murder. 

"  Yes,  yes,  yes.  I  vill  not  deny  my  name.  Tis  a  coot  name. 
S'help  me,  de  name  never  vas  in  throoble  befo'.  Vat  you  sharge 
me?" 

"  Your  son  is  accused  of  the  murder  of  an  old  lady  in  the 
county  above  this  ?  " 

"  Ah,  yes,  yes.  Mine  poor  poy.  He  is  lacking  here."  And 
the  old  gentleman  tapped  his  forehead  with  his  finger  significantly 
two  or  three  times.  "  He  is  lacking ;  the  poor  poy  is  lacking.  De 
doctor  vill  tell  you  so.  He  is  likevise  innocent  as  de  new  porn 
pabe.  Vat  you  sharge  me  ?  " 

"  Five  hundred  dollars,"  said  Slowboy,  at  a  venture. 

"  Mein  Cot !  "  cried  the  old  gentleman,  rising  and  dancing 
about  the  room  as  if  the  lawyer's  unexpected  reply  had  literally 
knocked  him  silly.  "  Ah,  mein  Cot !  No,  no !  I  have  not  de 
money,  young  shentleman.  You  mistake  me  for  Fanterpilt,  a 
Shay  Cool,  a  Shon  Shacob  Astor,  or  peebles  of  dat  kind.  Five 
hundred  dollars  !  Ter  plessed  Moses  !  No,  no ;  no,  no !  Mine 
son  must;  hang !  My  poor  innocent  shild  must  hang !  Five  hun 
dred  dollars  !  I  haff  not  got  de  money."  The  old  gentleman  here 
sat  down  again  and  bowed  his  head  in  his  hands  for  a  while; 
then  he  raised  it  and  addressed  the  lawyer  respectfully: 

"  Dere  are  otter  lawyers  in  dis  town  ?  " 

"  Plenty  of  'em,"  answered  Slowboy. 

"  Coot  lawyers,  too,  I  make  no  doubt  ?  " 

"  First  rate,  first  rate,"  answered  Slowboy,  heartily.  "  None 
better  in  the  State." 

"  Meppe  dey  vill  not  pe  so  hard  upon  me  ?  " 

"  Maybe  not,"  answered  Slowboy.  "  I  advise  you  to  try  one  of 
'em." 


96  The  K.  K.  K. 

The  old  gentleman  here  sunk  his  head  in  his  hands  again  in 
deep  despondency;  then  he  raised  it  and  once  more  addressed 
the  hardened  youth  before  him : 

"  Kernell  Perlaffer,  vot  time  vill  he  be  in  ?  " 

"  Can't  say/'  answered  Slowboy.    "  Most  any  time." 

"  Veil,  I  must  go  to  de  shail  to  see  mine  poy.  By  two-thretty 
ten  I  pe  pack.  At  dat  time  I  see  Kernell  Perlaffer.  Five  hun 
dred  dollars !  No,  no !  I  haff  not  got  de  money." 

With  these  words  the  old  gentleman  withdrew,  and  Slowboy 
sent  a  runner  round  the  town  to  notify  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm  that  there  was  business  awaiting  at  the  office.  When  Palaver 
came  in  they  discussed  the  question  of  the  fee. 

"  You  put  it  too  low,"  said  the  senior  member  of  the  firm.  "  A 
thousand  dollars  would  have  been  about  the  figure.  Murder  case ; 
two  or  three  trips  to  supreme  court  and  back;  trial  in  another 
county ;  half-dozen  continuances ;  change  of  venue ;  damn  me,  if 
a  thousand  dollars  is  a  bit  too  high !  " 

"  He  swears  he  can't  pay  five  hundred  dollars." 

"  He's  a  liar.  He  belongs,  no  doubt,  to  a  gang  of  Chicago 
swindlers,  who  always  help  each  other  out  in  time  of  trouble.  I've 
had  some  dealings  with  these  scoundrels,  and  they  pay  well.  Five 
hundred  dollars  will  do,  though,  Slowboy.  Five  hundred  dollars 
will  help  keep  the  pot  boiling.  Five  hundred  you've  said,  and  five 
hundred  it  shall  be.  What  time  will  the  old  scoundrel  be  in  ?  " 

"Half-past  two." 

"All  right;  I'll  be  here." 

And  at  half-past  two  Colonel  Palaver  was  on  hand,  and  the 
little  old  gentleman  was  on  hand  also,  and  negotiations  between 
them  were  conducted  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion.  The  old  gen 
tleman  protested  that  he  did  not  have  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
could  by  no  possibility  raise  five  hundred  dollars,  but  the  Colonel 
was  obdurate,  and  the  bargain  was  struck.  Upon  one  point  the 
old  gentleman  was  as  obstinate  as  the  lawyer.  He  flatly  refused 
to  pay  the  entire  fee  in  advance,  though  when  the  two  men  came 
down  to  business  he  did  not  deny  that  he  had  the  money  in  his 
trousers  pockets  with  which  to  liquidate  the  obligation.  He  finally 
paid  down,  as  a  retainer  fee,  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  sum  total, 
or  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  in  legal  currency  of  the 
United  States.  The  remaining  three  hundred  and  seventy-five 
dollars  was  then  deposited  in  bank  under  a  written  agreement  be 
tween  the  parties  that  no  part  of  it  should  be  drawn  out  until  the 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Hooks  a  Client  for  the  Firm.     97 

conclusion  of  the  case,  and  then  only  upon  a  check  to  be  signed 
by  both  lawyer  and  client.  To  this  agreement,  deposited  with 
the  banker,  the  little  old  gentleman  signed  his  name,  "  Olof  An- 
kerstrom,"  in  a  respectable  hand-writing  that  compared  well  with 
the  scrawl  of  the  attorney  above  it. 

Just  here  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  put  in  a  word  or  two  concern 
ing  the  Ankerstrom  family  of  Chicago  and  elsewhere.  It  was  an 
enterprising  family  in'its  way,  consisting  of  the  little  old  gentle 
man  and  some  half-dozen  sons  and  daughters,  who  had  been  ac 
customed  from  infancy  to  dodge  and  hide  and  look  out  for  them 
selves,  about  as  young  foxes  do.  Johan  was  regarded  as  the  least 
promising  of  the  flock.  He  was  not  so  keen-witted  as  the  others, 
and  was  far  more  brutal  by  nature  than  any  of  the  rest.  The  old 
gentleman  really  expressed  the  family  opinion  when  he  tapped  his 
forehead  and  said  to  Slowboy  that  Johan  was  lacking.  He  was 
lacking,  just  as  many  another  human  brute  is  lacking  who  has 
nothing  like  a  conscience  to  restrain  him  from  the  gratification  of 
his  basest  animal  impulses.  Whatever  his  vile  nature  prompted 
him  to  do,  he  did,  unless  fear  of  immediate  apprehension  and  pun 
ishment  deterred  him.  The  other  members  of  his  family  despised 
him;  they  held  their  heads  considerably  above  him;  they  would 
have  been  glad  at  any  moment  to  hear  of  his  death,  but  they 
always  came  to  his  rescue  when  he  got  in  trouble.  That  they  did 
not  shake  him  and  carry  out  their  oft-repeated  threats  to  wash 
their  hands  of  him  for  good  and  all,  can  only  be  explained  upon 
the  principle  that  family  ties  throughout  the  entire  animal  king 
dom  are  mysteriously  strong.  Hogs  are  by  nature  the  least  sym 
pathetic  of  all  the  brutes.  They  will  jostle  each  other  uncere 
moniously  from  the  feed  trough,  and  pass  and  repass  habitually 
without  even  the  courtesy  of  a  friendly  grunt.  But  let  a  maraud 
ing  shote  get  his  head  stuck  fast  in  the  crack  of  a  fence  and  send 
forth  a  lusty  squeal  for  aid,  round  him  will  rally  quickly  his  sis 
ters,  his  cousins  and  his  aunts,  together  with  all  his  bachelor  rela 
tions,  and  with  their  bristles  turned  the  wrong  way  the  whole  tribe 
will  go  in,  forgetful  of  themselves,  to  render  such  assistance  as 
they  can  to  a  supplicating  brother  in  distress. 

So  it  was  when  Johan  Ankerstrom  found  himself  behind  the 
bars  of  the  Coopertown  jail,  with  a  charge  laid  against  him  that 
might  rid  him  of  his  worthless  life,  he  sent  forth  such  a  squeal 
that  it  reached  the  ears  of  his  kinsmen  beyond  the  Ohio  River,  as 
he  intended  it  should.  And  so  it  was  when  the  family  heard  that 
7 


98  The  K.  K.  K. 

Johan  was  once  more  in  trouble,  they  called  a  council,  and 
cursed  him,  and  damned  him,  and  wished  him  well  out  of  the 
world,  and  not  only  out  of  the  world,  but  in  a  very  hot  place 
which  is  supposed  to  exist  somewhere  beyond  the  confines  of  this 
earth.  These  preliminaries  through,  they  got  down  to  business, 
raised  a  substantial  purse  and  dispatched  the  old  man  south  to  see 
what  could  be  done  in  behalf  of  Johan.  Journeying  southward, 
the  old  man  reached  Coopertown,  as  we  know,  and  employed  able 
counsel  to  represent  his  son  in  the  courts.  He  also  hung  around 
the  jail  here  for  some  time,  winning  the  sympathy  of  many  by 
his  pious  aspect  and  dejected  countenance.  When  the  time  came 
for  him  to  take  his  departure,  he  shook  hands  cordially  with  all 
the  jailer's  family  and  presented  his  unfortunate  offspring  with 
a  copy  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  in  one  of  the  heavy  cov 
ers  of  which  he  had  deftly  inserted  a  very  slender  steel  saw  of 
excellent  temper.  This  parental  duty  discharged,  he  bestowed  his 
blessing  upon  the  household  and  went  his  way  for  a  season. 


The  Case  is  Continued  to  the  Following  Term.      99 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THERE  BEING  UNDUE  EXCITEMENT  IN  THE  PUBLIC  MIND  THE  CASE 
OF  THE  STATE  VERSUS  ANKERSTROM  IS  CONTINUED  TO  THE  FOL 
LOWING  TERM. 

WHILE  the  old  gentleman  was  making  praiseworthy  effort  in 
different  ways  to  extricate  his  son  from  the  perilous  position  in 
which  he  found  him,  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  neither  slumbered 
nor  slept  in  his  anxious  desire  to  bring  this  same  son  to  close  ac 
quaintanceship  with  the  hangman  as  speedily  as  possible.  On  the 
night  when  Sandy  Kinchen  shuffled  off  his  mortal  coil  under  the 
gallows-tree,  Templeton,  as  will  be  remembered,  plead  for  the 
law,  maintaining  that  it  was  in  all  respects  sufficient  for  the  trial 
and  punishment  of  criminals,  and  that  society  must  look  to  the 
law  alone  for  redress  of  its  wrongs.  Now,  when  the  brutal  scoun 
drel — who  ought  to  have  died  in  Sandy's  place — was  apprehended 
and  turned  over  to  the  sheriff,  Templeton  felt  it  incumbent  upon 
him  to  make  good  his  assertion  that  the  law  could  be  relied  on  to 
deal  with  evildoers,  and  he  set  to  work  to  aid  the  law  to  the  extent 
of  his  ability.  He  was  young,  had  leisure,  some  money  not  needed 
for  his  immediate  necessities,  and  he  did  not  object,  for  more  rea 
sons  than  one,  to  putting  in  a  considerable  part  of  his  time  in  and 
about  the  region  known  as  the  Marrowbone  Hills.  He  became 
quite  intimate  here  with  Pearson,  who  was  working  up  the  case  in 
a  quiet  but  effectual  manner,  and  with  others  who  were  bending 
their  efforts  in  the  same  direction.  He  also,  by  occasional  inter 
views  with  Major  Habersham,  was  enabled  to  inform  himself 
pretty  well  as  to  the  state  of  the  country,  and  at  each  of  his  visits 
for  this  purpose  he  managed  to  while  away  a  little  time  in  the 
society  of  the  Major's  daughter  without  being  desperately 
bored. 

There  were  a  half-dozen  counties  in  the  judicial  circuit,  and 
neither  the  judge  nor  the  attorney-general  resided  in  that  in  which 
Ankerstrom  was  to  be  arraigned  and  tried.  Twice  a  year  they 


too  The  K.  K.  K. 

rode  into  the  town  of  Ashton,  and  devoted  themselves  for  two 
weeks  to  the  task  of  clearing  the  docket  of  such  cases  as  they 
found  awaiting  them.  Usually  more  than  half  of  this  limited 
period  was  consumed  by  the  judge  in  hearing  civil  cases,  and  fully 
half  of  the  time  of  the  attorney-general  was  taken  up  in  drawing 
indictments  and  examining  witnesses  before  the  grand  jury,  to  the 
end  that  fresh  grist  might  be  brought  before  the  judicial  mill  to 
be  ground.  When  the  two  weeks  had  elapsed  the  grand  and  petit 
juries  were  discharged,  the  minutes  of  the  court  were  signed,  and 
the  judge  and  the  State's  officer  betook  themselves  to  another 
county  to  begin  over  again  the  process  of  administering  justice 
and  upholding  the  majesty  of  the  law. 

The  fall  term  of  the  court  at  Ashton  began  on  the  first  Monday 
in  September,  and,  as  it  was  important  to-  use  dispatch,  all  the  wit 
nesses  in  the  Ankerstrom  case  had  been  summoned,  and  were  on 
hand  ready  to  give  evidence  before  the  grand  jury.  Both  Tem- 
pleton  and  Pearson  had  labored  to  secure  their  attendance;  and, 
when  mustered,  there  was  a  goodly  array  of  them,  for  as  a  matter 
of  precaution  every  person  who  knew  anything  of  the  case,  either 
by  hearsay  or  otherwise,  had  been  brought  to  court.  The  attorney- 
general  was  a  middle-aged  gentleman,  of  somewhat  nervous  tem 
perament,  and  rather  prone  to  lose  his  temper  on  slight  provoca 
tion,  but  capable  of  getting  through  with  a  good  deal  of  business 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  He  conversed  on  this  occasion  privately 
with  a  good  many  persons,  young  and  old,  black  and  white,  male 
and  female,  who  had  been  summoned  to  testify  against  divers  of 
fenders,  and  embodied  the  substance  of  the  information  thus  ob 
tained  in  indictments  which  he  drew  hurriedly  for  the  considera 
tion  of  the  grand  jury.  Somewhat  to  the  annoyance  of  Mr.  Bob 
Lee  Templeton,  he  postponed  speaking  to  the  witnesses  in  the 
Ankerstrom  case  until  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  after  his  confer 
ence  informed  them  that  they  must  all  come  back  the  next  day,  as 
he  would  not  have  time  to  draw  so  important  an  indictment  until 
he  went  to  his  room  that  night.  This  announcement  caused  grave 
dissatisfaction  among  the  witnesses,  and  Templeton  indulged 
in  some  censure  upon  the  State's  officer,  but  Pearson  said  he  saw 
nothing  unreasonable  in  his  behavior,  and  that  when  people  came 
to  court  they  must  expect  to  put  up  with  a  little  inconvenience. 

Next  morning  the  witnesses  were  all  on  hand,  most  of  them  in 
no  very  good  humor;  and  during  the  course  of  the  second  day 
they  were  admitted,  one  by  one,  into  the  sacred  precincts  of  the 


The  Case  is  Continued  to  the  Following  Term.     101 

grand  jury  room,  where  each  was  permitted  to  tell  his  tale.  Late 
in  the  afternoon  the  grand  jurors — thirteen  in  number,  headed  by 
an  officer — filed  into  the  court-room  with  a  formidable  batch  of 
true  bills  and  other  important  papers.  These  the  foreman  gravely 
handed  to  the  judge,  who  after  brief  inspection  passed  ^them  to 
the  clerk  who  thrust  them  at  once  in  his  bosom  with  the  air  of  one 
who  has  a  dreadful  secret  in  his  keeping  which  he  would  rather 
die  than  divulge. 

Pearson  and  Templeton  received  private  information  from  the 
attorney-general  that  several  indictments  against  Ankerstrom 
were  in  the  batch  of  papers  they  had  seen  the  clerk  secrete  in  his 
bosom,  and  as  a  special  favor,  after  court  adjourned,  they  were 
allowed  to  inspect  them.  One  charged  the  accused,  Ankerstrom, 
with  having  feloniously  taken  and  carried  away  a  chopping  ax 
of  the  value  of  two  dollars,  and  of  the  goods  and  chattels  of 
Gabriel  Havemeyer,  with  the  intent  on  the  part  of  the  culprit  to 
deprive  the  true  owner  of  his  property  and  convert  the  same  to 
his  own  use.  The  second  charged  the  offender  with  having 
broken  open  a  mansion  house  in  the  night  time  with  the  intent  to 
commit  a  felony  therein.  The  third  paper  asserted  that  the  same 
criminal  had  wilfully  and  maliciously  set  fire  to  and  burned  the 
dwelling  house  of  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe,  and  was  therefore 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  arson.  A  fourth  indictment  charged  the 
wilful  murder  of  the  old  lady,  and  when  the  two  unprofessional 
men  reached  this  they  supposed  it  was  the  last.  The  law  they 
found,  however,  had  still  another  hold  on  Ankerstrom,  for  the 
State's  officer  handed  them  an  additional  paper  charging  the 
villain  with  having  stolen  from  the  Hopson  family  one  tablecloth 
worth  fifty  cents  and  divers  and  sundry  articles  of  the  aggregate 
value  of  three  dollars,  to  wit:  two  broiled  chickens,  three  dozen 
biscuits  more  or  less,  one  boiled  ham,  one  bag  of  sweet  cakes, 
a  jar  of  cucumber  pickles,  twenty-seven  dried-apple  pies,  com 
monly  known  as  "  flapjacks,"  etc.,  etc. 

When  they  had  finished  reading  the  last  paper  the  attorney- 
general  informed  them  that  he  might  have  preferred  a  sixth 
charge  against  the  accused  for  personal  assault  upon  the  sick 
man  Hopson ;  and  possibly  a  seventh,  for  breaking  into  the  house, 
since  some  force  was  used  in  effecting  an  entrance.  Many  pros 
ecuting  attorneys  in  the  State,  he  said,  would  have  pursued  this 
course  with  a  view  of  increasing  costs,  but  he  was  not  that  sort 
of  a  man,  Templeton  commended  him  for  his  frugality  where  the 


102  The  K.  K.  K. 

public  interest  was  concerned,  and  inquired  as  to  which  of  the 
charges  the  accused  would  be  brought  to  trial  first  upon,  or 
whether  he  would  be  held  to  answer  them  all  at  once. 

"Why,  no  indeed,"  answered  the  State's  officer.  ''That 
wouldn't  do,  you  know.  We  will  try  him  on  one  of  these  indict 
ments,  and  if  we  fail  we  will  take  him  to  task  on  another;  and 
if  we  have  bad  luck  there,  we  will  drag  him  up  on  the  third ;  and 
if  our  hold  breaks  there,  we  will  tackle  him  on  the  fourth,  and  so 
on.  This  is  about  the  course  we'll  pursue,  and  by  the  time  we're 
through  with  him,  unless  I'm  pretty  badly  fooled,  there  won't  be 
much  left  of  him." 

"  Well,"  said  Templeton,  who  being  younger  than  Pearson 
assumed  the  right  to  speak  for  them  both,  "  this  fellow  has 
committed  murder,  a  cold-blooded  and  cowardly  murder ;  there 
isn't  any  doubt  about  that.  Suppose  we  therefore  arraign  him  for 
murder,  and  try  him  and  hang  him  for  murder  right  away,  and 
let  the  other  charges  against  him  be  dismissed.  When  we've 
hung  him  for  his  principal  offense,  he  will  have  passed  beyond 
our  reach,  and  there'll  be  nothing  else  we  can  do  to  him." 

"  There's  sense  in  that,"  responded  the  attorney-general,  mus 
ingly  ;  and  he  looked  out  of  the  window  as  if  he  was  turning  the 
proposition  over  in  his  mind.  Templeton  handed  him  a  cigar, 
and  when  he  had  puffed  at  this  a  while,  and  found  it  was  a  good 
cigar,  he  seemed  to  attach  even  more  importance  to  the  young 
man's  proposition.  "  There's  a  good  deal  in  that ;  there's  a  good 
deal  in  that,"  he  repeated,  nodding  his  head  to  Templeton. 
"  Well,  we'll  try  that." 

"  Suppose  we  set  the  murder  charge  for  one  day  next  week," 
said  Templeton,  "  and  try  him  and  convict  him  on  that.  We 
might  possibly  get  ready  by  to-morrow,  but  we'd  better  not  go 
too  fast.  We  can  have  all  our  witnesses  back  here  next  Tuesday, 
and  we'll  take  up  the  case  on  that  day  and  go  right  along  with  it. 
That  is,  of  course,  if  it  suits  you." 

"  That's  a  good  idea,"  said  the  attorney-general.  "  Fust  rate  ; 
fust  rate.  I'll  have  the  case  set  for  that  day.  The  fellow's  down 
here  in  jail  at  Coopertown,  ain't  he?" 

"  Yes." 

"Who's  his  lawyer?" 

"  Nobody,  I  reckon.  He's  not  able  to  employ  a  lawyer,  and  a 
lawyer  wouldn't  do  him  any  good.  He's  guilty  beyond  all  ques 
tion." 


The  Case  is  Continued  to  the  Following  Term.     103 

"All  right;  we'll  try  him  next  Tuesday.  I'll  get  the  judge 
to  assign  some  of  these  young  fellows  to  defend  him,"  and  the 
attorney-general  walked  away,  and  had  the  case  of  Ankerstrom, 
charged  with  murder,  set  for  the  following  Tuesday.  He  di 
rected  the  clerk  also  to  forward  without  delay  a  copy  of  the  in 
dictment  to  the  prisoner  in  the  Coopertown  jail. 

Seeing  that  the  attorney-general  had  his  hands  full  of  other 
matters,  our  two  friends,  together  with  other  active  persons  from 
the  neighborhood  of  the  tragedy,  set  to  work  at  once  to  make 
ready  the  state's  case  by  the  following  Tuesday.  The  witnesses 
were  all  resummoned  to  appear,  and  trusty  individuals  were  de 
tailed  to  look  after  those  about  whose  voluntary  attendance  there 
was  some  doubt.  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  had  entirely  recovered 
from  his  discontent  of  the  evening  before,  and  now  cheerfully  did 
his  endeavor  to  put  everybody  else  in  a  hopeful  frame  of  mind, 
and  induce  them  to  return  to  court  at  the  appointed  time.  There 
were  some  grumblers,  of  course,  and  some  prophets  of  evil,  but 
all  these  were  put  to  silence  by  the  assurances  and  encouragement 
of  the  candid  youth. 

"  You  fellows  be  sure  to  come  back,"  cried  Mr.  Templeton  to 
a  group  of  witnesses,  who  were  muttering  about  the  distance 
they  had  to  travel  in  going  to  and  from  the  court.  "  Let  every 
man  of  you  come  back  next  Tuesday.  If  a  few  stay  away,  don't 
you  see,  that  will  spoil  the  whole  business,  for  like  as  not  some  of 
the  missing  ones  may  be  important  witnesses,  and  the  case  would 
have  to  be  continued  for  lack  of  proof.  That  will  never  do  in  the 
world.  So  let  every  man  be  on  hand  to  answer  to  his  name  next 
Tuesday." 

"  I've  lost  two  days  already,"  replied  one  of  his  auditors,  "  and 
the  worms  are  eating  up  my  tobacco." 

"That's  bad;  that's  bad,"  rejoined  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  in 
a  sympathetic  tone.  "  I  know  just  how  it  is,  my  friend,  for  I'm 
a  farmer  myself.  But  come  one  more  time — just  one  more  time. 
Don't  forget  that  a  good  old  woman  has  been  murdered,  and  that 
the  scoundrel  who  killed  her  should  be  hung  without  delay.  I 
know  just  what  I'm  talking  about,  and  I  tell  you  one  more  day  in 
this  cause  will  be  sufficient.  I  and  the  State's  attorney  have  talked 
the  thing  over,  and  you  can  all  depend  on  what  I  say." 

When  the  following  Tuesday  came  around  the  witnesses  were 
all  again  in  attendance,  and  court  having  been  called  to  order, 
sheriff  Sanderson  appeared  at  the  bar  with  the  prisoner,  Anker- 


104  The  K.  K.  K. 

strom,  who  the  day  before  had  been  brought  from  the  jail  at 
Coopertown.  The  attorney-general  called  upon  the  fellow  to 
hold  up  his  right  hand,  which  command  the  sheriff  finally  induced 
him  to  obey.  The  indictment  was  a  lengthy  one — for  the  State's 
ofBcer  was  a  great  stickler  for  old  forms  and  phrases — and  was 
read  in  clear  and  deliberc.te  tones,  so  that  the  whole  court-room 
might  heai .  It  changed,  alter  the  caption,  that  in  the  county  and 
state  aforesaid,  and  upon  a  certain  day  in  the  preceding  June, 
Johan  Ankerstrom,  alias  Dutch  Ankers,  alias  Cross-eyed  Jack, 
alias  the  Flying  Dutchman,  did  wilfully,  unlawfully,  feloniously, 
deliberately,  premeditatedly,  and  with  his  malice  aforethought, 
assault  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe,  of  the  county  and  state  aforesaid, 
with  a  deadly  weapon,  to  wit:  an  ax.  And  with  said  ax  the 
said  Johan  Ankerstorm,  alias  Dutch  Ankers,  alias  Cross-eyed 
Jack,  alias  the  Flying  Dutchman,  not  having  the  fear  of  God  be 
fore  his  eyes,  and  being  moved  and  instigated  by  the  devil,  did 
strike  and  inflict  divers  and  sundry  grievous  and  mortal  wounds 
upon  the  body  of  the  said  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe,  of  which  griev 
ous  and  mortal  wounds  the  said  Mrs.  Bascombe  did  languish 
until  the  day  following,  to  wit :  June  — ,  and  on  that  day  languish 
ing  she  did  die  of  said  wounds.  Wherefore  (the  document  went 
on  to  allege),  we,  the  grand  jurors  for  the  State  an'd  county 
aforesaid,  being  duly  elected,  impaneled  and  sworn  upon  our  oaths 
the  truth  to  speak,  do  present  and  say  that  Johan  Ankerstrom, 
alias  Dutch  Ankers,  alias.  Cross-eyed  Jack,  alias  the  Flying  Dutch 
man,  did  wilfully,  unlawfully,  feloniously,  deliberately,  pre 
meditatedly,  and  with  his  malice  aforethought,  kill  and  murder 
the  said  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe,  in  the  county  and  State  aforesaid, 
contrary  to  the  form  of  the  statute  in  such  cases  made  and  pro 
vided,  and  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  State. 

"  Are  you  guilty  or  not  guilty  ?  "  inquired  the  State's  officer 
when  he  had  finished  reading  the  lengthy  accusation. 

Ankerstrom  scowled  upon  him  and  made  no  reply.  He  either 
did  not  fully  understand  the  purport  of  what  he  had  heard,  or  he 
made  believe  not  to  understand  it. 

"If  the  court  please,"  said  a  young  attorney  who  had  been  as 
signed  to  defend  the  prisoner,  "  we  enter  a  plea  of  not  guilty  here." 

"  Very  good,"  said  the  judge.  "  Let  the  clerk  record  this 
upon  the  minutes.  Is  the  State  ready  to  proceed  with  the  trial 
of  this  cause  ?  " 

Bob  Lee  Templeton,  forgetful  of  the  proprieties  of  the  place, 


The  Case  is  Continued  to  the  Following  Term.     105 

was  about  to  arise  and  assure  the  court  that  the  prosecution  was 
ready,  but  the  attorney-general  forestalled  him.  He  informed 
the  court,  in  deliberate  tones,  that  the  State  wished  to  enter  at 
once  upon  the  trial  of  the  cause. 

"Is  the  defendant  ready ?"  inquired  the  judge,  addressing 
himself  to  the  young  attorney  who  had  been  assigned  to  look 
after  the  prisoner's  interests. 

The  young  attorney  here  went  over,  and  seating  himself  beside 
his  client,  sought  in  a  hurried  conversation  to  obtain  some  facts 
bearing  on  the  issue  about  to  be  raised.  While  he  was  thus  en 
gaged  lawyer  Palaver  entered  the  court-room,  bearing  in  his 
right  hand  a  suspicious-looking  black  satchel  containing  papers 
weighty  in  the  law,  and  containing  also  tucked  away  snugly  at 
the  bottom  a  neat  little  flask  of  strong  waters.  He  always 
carried  this  satchel  about  with  him,  and,  the  general  impression 
was,  would  have  been  as  utterly  helpless  without  it  as  Samson 
with  his  head  shaved.  He  now  looked  all  about  him,  and  with 
drawing  his  gloves  deposited  these,  with  his  satchel  and  cane, 
upon  the  table  by  which  he  stood.  When  he  had  done  this,  ob 
serving  that  there  was  a  lull  in  the  court-room,  he  addressed  him 
self  to  his  Honor  upon  the  bench. 

"  If  the  court  please,"  said  lawyer  Palaver,  "  I  have  just  learned 
that  a  client  of  mine,  one  Johan  Ankerstrom,  has  been  indicted 
here  upon  a  very  grave  charge,  and  I  rise  to  ask  that  his  trial  be 
set  for  some  day  of  the  next  term,  so  that  both  sides  may  then  be 
in  readiness  to  proceed  with  the  investigation." 

The  attorney-general  here  mumbled  out  something  about  being 
needed  in  the  grand  jury  room,  and  hastily  withdrew  from  the 
presence  of  the  court. 

"  Why/'  said  the  judge  to  Palaver,  "  we  have  that  very  case 
up  now,  and  I  was  about  to  order  the  jury  to  be  sworn." 

"  What !  "  cried  Palaver,  in  astonishment.  "  I — ah — perhaps 
I  did  not  understand  your  Honor." 

"  The  State  has  announced  ready,"  said  the  judge,  "  and  the 
case  was  about  to  go  to  trial  when  you  came  in." 

"  Go  to  trial — go  to  trial  ?  "  repeated  Palaver.  "  The  attorney- 
general  has  announced  ready,  does  your  Honor  say?  Why,  sir, 
was  the  like  ever  heard  in  the  court-house  before?  My  man 
is  here  on  trial  for  his  life.  He  is  a  foreigner,  and  can  hardly 
speak  the  language.  He  has  not  had  a  minute's  time  for  prepa 
ration " 


io6  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Why,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  interrupting  him,  "  this 
man  has  been  in.  jail,  if  the  court  please,  for  three  months.  He 
certainly  has  had  abundant  time  to  prepare  his  case,  and  the  wit 
nesses  we  have  brought  here  will  tell  the  whole  story,  as  the 
gentleman  will  find  further  along  when  we  get  into  the  evidence." 

Palaver  turned  and  regarded  the  speaker,  first  severely  and 
then  inquiringly.  "  If  the  court  please,"  he  remarked  in  a  dig 
nified  way,  "I  do  not  know  this  young  gentleman,  but  I  sup 
pose,  of  course,  he  is  one  of  the  counsel  in  the  cause."  Mr.  Tem- 
pleton's  abashed  look  showing  too  plainly  that  he  was  not  of 
counsel  in  the  cause,  the  lawyer  continued :  "  I  move  you,  sir," 
addressing  the  judge,  "  that  this  young  man  produce  his  license 
before  the  clerk  and  be  sworn  in  as  one  of  the  practising  attor 
neys  at  this  bar." 

This  caused  a  broad  smile  to  spread  itself  over  the  court-room, 
and  looking  about  him,  Templeton  was  pained  to  observe  Miss 
Sue  Bascombe,  who  was  present  as  one  of  the  witnesses,  biting 
her  lip  to  suppress  an  inclination  to  laugh.  This  added  mani 
festly  to  his  discomfiture,  for  all  nice  young  men  have  their  share 
of  vanity,  and  nobody  likes  to  be  laughed  at. 

"  Where's  the  attorney-general,"  inquired  the  judge,  in  re 
sponse  to  Palaver's  request.  "  He  ought  to  be  here  looking  after 
this  case.  Go  fetch  him  in  at  once,  Mr.  Sheriff." 

The  sheriff  promptly  retired  in  quest  of  the  State's  officer,  and 
Templeton  followed  nim  out  into  the  hall.  When  the  attorney- 
general  presently  emerged  from  the  grand  jury  room  the  young 
man  halted  him  and  took  up  a  few  moments  of  his  valuable 
time. 

"  I  say,"  remarked  Templeton  to  the  busy  official,  "  one 
moment,  one  moment,  if  you  please.  There's  an  old  man  in  the 
other  room  trying  to  put  off  our  case.  It  will  never  do ;  never  in 
the  world,  I  tell  you.  It's  been  three  months  since  Ankerstrom 
killed  the  old  woman,  and  the  folks  in  that  country  are  getting' 
dreadfully  impatient.  Their  opinion  of  the  law  is  none  too  good 
now,  and  if  this  case  is  put  off,  there's  no  telling  what  they  will 
do  or  say.  So  do  you  go  right  in  and  head  this  old  man  off.  He's 
talking  wild,  saying  he  hasn't  had  time  to  get  his  case  ready,  and 
I'm  afraid  he'll  deceive  the  judge. 

"  I'll  fix  him,"  responded  the  State's  officer,  tearing  himself 
from  the  young  gentleman  and  hastily  entering  the  court-room. 
Once  in  the  presence  of  the  judge,  and  informed  of  Palaver's 


The  Case  is  Continued  to  the  Following  Term.     107 

application  to  postpone  the  trial,  he  began  a  rather  vehement 
address,  which  apparently  was  intended  more  for  the  bystanders 
than  the  court.  He  had  proceeded  but  a  little  way  before  Pala 
ver  arose  and  politely  interrupted  him. 

"  if  your  Honor  please,"  said  Palaver  to  the  judge,  "  I  would 
like,  with  the  permission  of  the  court,  to  prepare  an  affidavit." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  judge.  "  The  defendant's  counsel  has 
that  right"" 

The  attorney-general  then  sat  down  and  fell  a-chatting  pleas 
antly  with  some  of  the  lawyers  about  him.  Palaver  withdrew, 
with  a  stub  pen,  ink  bottle  and  several  quires  of  paper.  He  was 
great  on  affidavits ;  indeed,  I  may  say,  that  was  his  specialty,  and 
no  lawyer  had  ever  been  known  in  his  section  who  could  cram 
more  statements  into  a  document  for  his  client  to  swear  to. 
Having  consumed  less  time  than  usual  in  the  preparation  of  his 
paper,  he  after  a  bit  returned  into  the  court-room  with  a  very  con 
fident  air  about  him.  The  affidavit,  verified  by  Ankerstrom  on 
oath,  alleged  the  undisputed  facts  that  the  indictment  against  the 
prisoner  had  been  brought  in  by  the  grand  jury  then  in  session, 
that  it  charged  murder  in  the  first  degree;  and  then  the  further 
allegation  was  made  that  owing  to  excitement  in  the  public  mind 
the  accused  could  not  safely  go  to  trial  at  that  term  of  the 
court. 

"  That  is  sufficient,"  cried  the  judge  from  the  bench  as  soon  as 
the  paper  was  read.  "  No  use  to  waste  more  words  about  it.  It 
is  well  enough  settled  in  Tennessee  that  a  defendant  cannot  be 
forced  to  a  hearing  at  the  term  in  which  the  indictment  against 
him  is  found,  where  the  indictment  charges  murder  and  he  files 
an  affidavit  stating  that  owing  to  excitement  in  the  public  mind 
he  cannot  safely  go  to  trial.  To  hold  otherwise  would  be  rever 
sible  error  on  the  part  of  this  court,  and  the  case  must  go  over 
till  next  term." 

This  ruling  excited  no  sort  of  surprise  on  the  part  of  the  attor 
neys  present.  The  attorney-general  looked  up  at  the  judge  and 
nodded  gravely  his  indorsement  of  the  action  of  the  court.  Pala 
ver  sat  down  by  his  cane  and  hand-bag,  crossed  his  legs,  shook 
his  foot,  and  assumed  the  air  of  a  wise  man  who  knew  very  well 
in  advance  what  was  going  to  happen.  The  fact  was  he  had  not 
bothered  himself  at  all  with  preparations  for  the  defense,  and 
had  nothing  whatever  in  his  black  satchel  bearing  on  the  Anker 
strom  case, 


io8  The  K.  K.  K. 

As  the  lawyers  and  other  gentlemen  wended  their  way  toward 
the  hotel  at  the  noon  recess,  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  overheard 
a  conversation  that  made  his  ears  tingle. 

Palaver,  to  the  attorney-general,  who  was  walking  by  his  side : 
"  What  smart  young  chap  was  that,  Whackemall,  who  put  in  his 
mouth  this  morning  while  I  was  addressing  the  court  ?  " 

Attorney-general :  "  Templeton  his  name  is.  He  is  taking  a 
good  deal  of  interest  in  the  Ankerstrom  case." 

Palaver :  "  Any  kin  to  the  old  woman  that  got  killed  ?  " 

Attorney-general :  "  None  that  I  know  of.  None  at  all,  I  be 
lieve." 

Palaver:  "  What's  he  got  to  do  with  it,  then?  " 

Attorney-general :  "  That  I  can't  just  make  out.  I  think  he's  in 
love  with  that  black-eyed  girl  you  saw  in  the  court-room.  She's 
the  old  woman's  granddaughter." 

Palaver :  "  Ah,  that  explains  it.  I  saw  him  turn  red  this 
morning  when  he  looked  at  her,  and  wondered  what  the  hell  he 
was  blushing  about.  So  it  was  at  his  instance  you  made  that 
nonsensical  talk  opposing  my  application  for  d  continuance?" 

Attorney-general :  "  Yes ;  he  urged  me  to  do  it,  and  I  just  spoke 
to  oblige  him." 

Palaver :  "  Ah,  I  see,  I  see.  Right  embarrassing  sometimes  to 
have  a  damned  fool  for  a  client." 

Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  here  slackened  his  pace,  so  as  to 
allow  those  ahead  to  increase  the  distance  between  them.  He 
was  on  his  way  to  the  tavern  to  get  dinner,  but  he  changed  his 
mind  and  took  a  notion  to  stroll  round  town  before  proceeding 
to  the  hostelry.  As  he  strolled  he  came  in  contact  with  a  good 
many  witnesses  that  had  been  brought  to  court  to  testify  in  the 
Ankerstrom  case.  They  scowled  at  him  and  indulged  in  un 
complimentary  remarks  as  he  passed. 

"  That  the  smart  Aleck,"  said  one,  "  who  had  a  private  un 
derstanding  with  the  attorney-general." 

"  His  head  will  be  gray  before  that  understanding  is  carried 
out,"  retorted  another. 

"  The  next  time  we  catch  a  red-handed  murderer  I  hope  we'll 
have  sense  enough  to  hang  him  up,  without  listening  to  any 
smooth  talk  from  such  palavering  chaps  as  him,"  proclaimed  a 
third. 

Mr.  Templeton  strolled  on.  He  soon  took  a  side  street  where 
nothing  harassing  would  be  likely  to  occur,  and  where  he  could 


The  Case  is  Continued  to  the  Following  Term.     109 

make  a  serious  effort  to  get  a  hold  upon  himself.  When,  an 
hour  or  so  later,  he  seated  himself  at  the  hotel  table,  he  was  out 
wardly  calm,  but  his  appetite  had  deserted  him.  He  found, 
moreover,  upon  self-interrogation  that  a  good  deal  of  his  venera 
tion  for  the  law  had  departed  with  his  appetite. 


no  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

YOUNG  MR.  TEMPLETON  CHANGES  HIS  MIND  WHEN  OUT  OF  HUMOR, 
AND  REVERTS  TO  HIS  FORMER  OPINION  WHEN  CHEERFULNESS  IS 
RESTORED. 

THAT  afternoon  as  those  who  had  been  summoned  in  the  An- 
kerstrom  case  journeyed  homeward  from  the  town,  some  were 
merry  and  some  were  mad.  Templeton  was  of  the  company,  and 
for  a  short  distance  he  rode  by  the  side  of  Miss  Sue  Bascombe, 
who  having  made  her  second  trip  to  court  considered  herself 
pretty  well  posted  now  as  to  the  legal  methods  of  transacting 
business. 

"  Law  is  a  great  profession,  Mr.  Templeton,"  remarked  the 
young  lady  as  the  horse  that  bore  her  jogged  along  at  a  steady 
gait  toward  the  place  of  her  abode,  "  and  I  wonder  they  don't 
have  more  female  attorneys  in  the  country.  It  seems  to  me  to 
be  a  profession  much  better  adapted  to  women  than  men,  any 
way." 

"  How  is  that  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Templeton. 

"  Oh,  they  talk  so  much,"  replied  the  young  lady,  "  and  it  all 
amounts  in  the  end  to  so  little." 

Miss  Bascombe  was  inclined  to  be  sarcastic,  but  Templeton 
accepted  her  observations  seriously.  "  That's  a  fact,"  he  an 
swered  rather  sullenly. 

"  It's  all  talk  and  no  cider,  as  we  say  in  the  country,"  continued 
the  young  lady.  "  The  judge  has  his  say,  the  lawyers  have  their 
say,  and  now  and  then  an  outsider  puts  in  and  tries  to  have  his 
say.  I  think  you  made  a  little  experiment  in  that  direction  this 
morning,  didn't  you,  Mr.  Templeton  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  gentleman  addressed,  "  but  it  didn't  help 
me,  or  the  cause  of  justice,  either." 

"  Of  course  not,  of  course  not.  You  didn't  seem  to  have  many 
friends  among  them,  and  as  for  the  cause  of  justice  I  don't  sup 
pose  that  was  on  anybody  s  mind  at  all." 


How  Young  Mr.  Templeton  Changes  His  Mind,  in 

"  I'm  inclined  to  agree  with  you,"  replied  the  young  gentleman 
gloomily. 

"  Well,"  pursued  the  young  lady  cheerfully,  "  next  January 
I  reckon  they'll  go  to  the  court-house  again,  and  talk  some  more, 
and  send  us  all  back  home  again  with  nothing  done." 

"  Shouldn't  wonder,"  replied  Mr.  Templeton. 

"  It  will  be  fun  though.  Splashing  through  the  mud  and  rain 
a  matter  of  twenty  miles  in  midwinter  will  be  jolly.  Nobody 
could  grumble  at  that." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  replied  Mr.  Templeton. 

"  The  lawyers,  though,  don't  splash  through  rain  and  mud  to 
any  alarming  extent.  All  they  have  to  do  is  to  stand  up  in  the 
court-room  and  talk.  That's  what  makes  me  say  law  is  such  a 
delightful  profession." 

"  And  that's  what  makes  me  say,"  answered  Templeton  bitter 
ly,  "  that  it's  a  humbug." 

"A  what?" 

"  A  farce.  A  miserable  contrivance  for  defeating  the  ends  of 
justice." 

"  Why,  my  goodness,"  replied  the  young  lady,  "  I  thought,  Mr. 
Templeton,  you  was  on  the  side  of  the  law.  You  speak  like 
some  of  these  outrageous  Marrowbone  people,  so  you  do." 

"  I  feel  as  indignant  as  any  of  the  Marrowbone  people  could 
feel.  Some  steps  must  be  taken  in  this  community  by  which 
scoundrels  can  be  brought  to  justice." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  She  spoke  in  a  graver  tone  than  she  had 
used  before. 

"  Indeed  I  do  think  so.  The  administration  of  justice  seems  to 
be  hampered  in  the  courts  by  antiquated  rules  that  may  have 
suited  other  people  differently  situated,  but  are  not  adapted  at  all 
to  the  condition  in  which  we  find  ourselves  to-day.  Criminals 
should  be  punished,  and  that  without  unreasonable  delay.  Honest 
men  and  women  are  entitled  to  protection.  The  law  as  now  ad 
ministered  affords  great  encouragement  to  scoundrels." 

"  Teddy  Mclntosh  couldn't  say  worse  than  that." 

"  He  wouldn't  tell  the  truth  if  he  said  less." 

"  You  seem  to  be  in  real  earnest,  Mr.  Templeton." 

"  Indeed  I  am." 

She  hummed  a  little  tune  to  herself  a  few  moments  and  then 
she  addressed  him  abruptly. 

"  Why  don't  you  join  the  Ku  Klux?  " 


The  K.  K.  K. 

"What's  that?" 

"As  if  you  didn't  know." 

He  tried  to  get  up  a  laugh,  but  failed.  "  I'm  more  than  half 
in  the  humor/'  he  replied  gravely. 

"  When  you're  altogether  in  the  humor  let  me  know." 

"  What  have  you  to  do  with  it?  " 

"  Nothing  at  all." 

"  If  you  had  I'd  ask  you  to  hand  in  my  name  at  the  next  meet 
ing  as  a  candidate  for  admission  to  the  order." 

"  You  said  just  now  you  were  only  half  in  earnest." 

"  I'm  in  dead  hard  earnest  now." 

"Honor  bright?" 

"  Honor  bright." 

The  two  were  proceeding  along  the  highway  by  themselves, 
though  there  were  others  at  a  short  distance  in  front  and  rear  of 
them.  Among  these  was  the  youth  called  Teddy  Mclntosh,  who 
was  about  fifty  yards  in  front. 

"  Ha-ha-ha,"  laughed  Miss  Bascombe  in  a  very  natural  way, 
though  nothing  had  occurred,  that  Mr.  Templeton  knew  of,  to 
excite  her  mirth. 

Teddy  glanced  back  over  his  shoulder,  and  she  raised  her  right 
hand  above  her  head  for  a  moment,  with  three  fingers  extended, 
the  others  closed.  It  was  a  careless  gesture,  and  would  have 
attracted  no  special  attention  if  one  had  observed  it.  Mr.  Mc 
lntosh  did  not  instantly  quit  his  companion  but  in  a  little  while 
dropped  back  and  joined  the  young  lady  and  Templeton, 

"  Teddy,"  said  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  in  a  calm  matter-of-fact 
way,  "  Mr.  Templeton  has  business  to-night  over  on  Dead  Man's 
Knob,  and  he  doesn't  know  the  way.  Won't  you  be  kind  enough 
to  take  him  there  ?  " 

"  Why,  for  sure,"  answered  Teddy.  "  I'll  be  glad  to  show  him 
the  road." 

Then  there  was  pleasant  chat  of  an  indiscriminate  kind,  and 
before  a  great  while  the  young  lady  bade  them  good-by,  and 
leaving  the  main  highway,  took  a  less  frequented  route  that  led 
to  her  home.  Teddy  Mclntosh  now  took  charge  of  Templeton, 
and  escorted  him  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  where  they  supped  and 
rested  their  horses. 

About  ten  o'clock  at  night  the  two  men  mounted  again  and 
rode  off  together.  No  questions  were  asked  as  to  their  proposed 
destination  by  the  discreet  members  of  the  household,  and  no 


How  Young  Mr.  Templeton  Changes  His  Mind.  113 

information  on  the  subject  was  volunteered  by  the  equally  discreet 
Mr.  Mclntosh.  The  two  men  rode  off  together,  and  for  some 
time  rode  in  silence. 

"  Miss  Sue  is  all  sorts  cff  a  girl/'  said  Mr.  Mclntosh,  breaking 
silence  after  a  while. 

Not  fully  understanding  whether  this  was  a  compliment  or  the 
reverse,  Templeton  did  not  reply. 

"  She's  all  sorts  of  a  girl,"  Mr.  Mclntosh  continued.  "  I've 
been  knowing  her  ever  since  we  were  both  little  children,  and  I 
don't  know  her  yet.  Now  and  then  -she's  funny  and  frolicksome, 
just  like  other  girls.  It  isn't  very  often,  though,  you  catch  her  in 
that  sort  of  humor,  and  when  you  do  it's  more  than  half  put  on. 
As  a  general  thing  she  takes  after  her  granny,  and  her  granny 
had  more  grit  than  half  a  dozen  common  men." 

"  Does  she  really  belong  to  the  Ku  Klux  Klan  ?  "  Templeton 
ventured  to  inquire. 

"  How's  that  ?  "  answered  Teddy,  as  if  he  hadn't  heard. 

"  Is  she  a  member  of  this  order  she  was  speaking  of  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  dunno.  Maybe  she  is,  maybe  she  ain't.  There's  just 
no  telling.  You  never  can  catch  up  with  her,  you  see." 

This  was  all  the  answer  Mr.  Templeton  received  to  a  question 
he  had  propounded  to  himself  several  times  in  the  last  few  hours 
without  being  able  to  frame  in  his  own  mind  a  satisfactory  reply. 

Traveling  for  about  an  hour  the  two  young  men  came  to  a 
conical  hill  rising  abruptly  from  the  surrounding  valley  and  a 
short  distance  off  from  the  wayside.  There  are  many  such  in  that 
part  of  the  country,  but  this  was  more  rugged  than  the  rest,  and 
had  an  evil  reputation  from  the  fact  that  at  a  time  prior  to  the 
civil  war  a  stranger  had  been  enticed  to  the  spot  and  murdered 
for  his  money.  At  the  foot  of  this  they  dismounted,  and  pro 
ceeding  Indian  file  along  a  narrow  path  they  climbed  it  slowly, 
each  leading  his  horse.  They  had  not  gone  far  in  this  manner 
before  a  man  in  front  blocked  the  way.  This  individual  said 
nothing,  and  made  no  demonstration,  but  stood  stockstill  until 
Mclntosh,  who  was  in  the  lead,  came  close  to  him  and  extended 
his  hand.  The  sentinel  reached  forth  his  own,  and  after  a  friendly 
grasp,  stepped  aside  and  allowed  tha  two  men  to  proceed.  He 
had  no  weapens — or  Templeton  saw  none  as  he  brushed  close  by 
him — though  standing  there  as  an  outpost  he  could  scarcely  have 
expected,  unarmed  and  unaided,  to  be  able  to  repel  intruders. 

Pursuing  their  way  the  two  young  men  after  going  a  short 


ii4  The  K.  K.  K. 

distance  turned  aside  and  hitched  their  horses  in  a  thick  clump 
of  trees,  where  they  saw  others  standing.  Here  they  began  a  pre 
cipitous  ascent,  up  which  a  horse,  however  clear-footed,  could 
hardly  have  clambered.  A  little  further  on  they  were  halted  by  a 
second  sentinel,  who  again  said  nothing,  but  stood  in  the  way  till 
Mclntosh  had  advanced  and  clasped  hands  with  him.  Next  they 
reached  a  level  strip  of  earth  upon  which  stunted  cedars  grew 
so  thick  as  to  make  a  passage  through  it  almost  impossible. 
Skirting  this  by  a  circular  path  they  reached  a  perpendicular 
bluff  of  rock,  with  a  small  open  space  between  it  and  the  thicket. 
Here  they  came  upon  a  group  of  men  sitting  side  by  side  on  the 
ground,  their  line  forming  a  rough  circle  of  about  twenty-feet  in 
diameter.  Each  of  these,  Templeton  noticed,  wore  a  tall  black 
cap,  and  his  figure  was  shrouded  in  a  mantle  of  the  same  somber 
hue.  Not  far  from  the  center  of  the  circle  sat  one  with  a  tall 
white  cap  and  wrapped  in  a  white  garment.  On  either  side  of 
him  was  a  figure  robed  in  black,  as  were  those  of  the  outer 
circle. 

Teddy  Mclntosh  advanced  into  the  middle  of  the  group  and 
faced  the  chief  figure  robed  in  white.  Behind  him  came  Tem 
pleton,  and  as  they  reached  the  center  of  the  circle  he  faced 
and  stood  fronting  the  white-robed  figure.  Perfect  silence  was 
maintained  by  all  present.  Each  member  of  the  circle  sat  on  the 
earth  with  his  head  bowed,  and  nothing  on  the  part  of  any  of 
them  indicated  a  consciousness  that  strangers  were  present. 

"  Majestical  Grand  Cyclops,"  proclaimed  Teddy  Mclntosh, 
addressing  the  central  figure,  "  this  mortal  desires  admission  into 
our  mystic  brotherhood." 

No  response  at  all  was  elicited  by  this  announcement,  but  all 
sat  on  the  earth  as  before  with  their  heads  bowed. 

"Majestical  Grand  Cyclops,"  repeated  Mclntosh,  "  this  mor 
tal  desires  admission  into  our  mystic  brotherhood." 

Then  all  at  once  arose  and  stood  in  silence  around  the  circle. 
Templeton  was  astonished  to  find  that  the  central  figure,  though 
apparently  that  of  a  thin  person,  was  not  much  less  than  ten  feet 
high.  The  long  white  cap  added  a  good  deal  to  the  stature  of 
this  individual,  but  making  due  allowance  for  this  he  was  un 
doubtedly  the  tallest  person  the  young  man  had  ever  seen.  His 
face  was  muffled,  and  his  features  could  be  but  dimly  discerned 
by  the  starlight  that  alone  lessened  the  surrounding  obscurity. 

"  Majestical  Grand  Cyclops,"  proclaimed  Teddy  Mclntosh  for 


How  Young  Mr.  Templeton  Changes  His  Mind.  115 

the  third  time,  "  this  mortal  desires  admission  into  our  mystic 
brotherhood." 

At  this  moment  some  one,  whose  approach  had  not  been  de 
tected,  stole  softly  up  behind  Templeton  and  blindfolded  him. 
When  this  had  been  accomplished  the  tall  figure  in  white  for  the 
first  time  vouchsafed  a  reply.  He  asked  many  questions  of  a 
searching  nature  regarding  the  character  and  qualifications  of  the 
candidate,  all  of  which  were  answered  in  a  complimentary  manner 
by  Mclntosh,  who  acted  as  sponsor.  Then  the  Grand  Cyclops  in 
quired  of  the  klan : 

"  Does  any  one  present  know  of  a  reason  why  this  mortal  should 
not  be  received  as  a  member  of  our  mystic  brotherhood  ?  " 

A  silence  of  some  moments  followed  this  inquiry.  Then  the 
command  came  in  solemn  tones : 

"  Mortal,  kneel." 

Without  hesitation  Templeton  obeyed, 

"  Raise  your  right  hand  to  heaven." 

He  did  so. 

"  Repeat  after  me  now  the  solemn  obligation  which  every 
member  of  this  mystic  order  is  required  to  take." 

The  speaker  here  proceeded  slowly  and  distinctly,  and  Tem 
pleton  repeated  after  him: 

"  I,  Robert  Lee  Templeton,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord, 
and  in  the  presence  of  these  comrades,  and  of  the  Ruler  of  the 
universe,  do  here  register  my  sacred  oath  that  I  will  never  reveal 
to  any  one  not  a  member  of  this  brotherhood  any  of  the  signs, 
grips  or  passwords  that  may  hereafter  be  imparted  to  me.  That 
I  will  never  reveal  to  those  not  members  of  this  brotherhood  the 
fact  that  I  know  of  its  existence,  or  that  I,  or  any  other  individual, 
is  connected  with  it.  I  here  register  my  sacred  oath  that  I  will 
never  let  the  true  name  of  the  order,  which  I  am  soon  to  receive, 
pass  my  lips  though  none  but  a  brother  be  nigh.  I  here  register 
my  sacred  oath  that  I  will  promptly  obey  all  the  decrees  of  the 
brotherhood,  when  not  inconsistent  with  the  law  of  the  land,  and 
should  I  at  any  time  prove  faithless  to  the  obligation  I  have  here 
assumed  I  invite  on  my  head  the  awful  penalty  that  will  then  be 
my  due." 

"  Mortal,  rise,"  was  the  command  after  the  oath  had  been 
taken. 

Templeton  rose  to  his  feet  and  stood  blindfolded  before  them. 
Some  one  now  drew  near  and  threw  a  mantle  over  his  shoulders, 


n6  The  K.  K.  K. 

placing  at  the  same  time  a  cap  on  his  head,  which  he  supposed  to 
be  similar  to  those  worn  by  others  about  him. 

"  Advance,  brothers,  and  give  to  this  mortal  the  secret  grip  of 
the  order,  in  token  of  the  fact  that  you  greet  him  as  a  member  of 
this  brotherhood." 

One  by  one  those  about  him  came  forward,  and  each  extending 
his  own  right  hand,  took  that  of  Templeton.  As  the  grip  was 
given  the  forefinger  of  each  in  turn  was  extended  until  the  tip  of 
it  rested  on  the  wrist  of  Templeton,  about  the  point  where  the 
pulse  is  usually  felt.  A  gentle  pressure  was  given,  once,  twice, 
thrice,  and  the  individual  extending  the  greeting  passed  on. 
Lastly  the  tall  individual  who  had  been  spokesman  during  the 
ceremony  came  forward  and  took  the  candidate  by  the  hand. 
He  stretched  out  his  long  forefinger  and  allowed  it  to  rest  on 
Templeton's  wrist. 

"  Mortal,"  he  said,  "  you  are  now  about  to  attach  yourself  to 
this  mystic  order  whose  members  never  assemble  until  after  the 
sun  goes  down,  whose  true  name  may  not  be  uttered  even  among 
themselves,  but  which  is  known  to  the  vulgar  as  the  Ku  Klux 
Klan." 

As  the  speaker  pronounced  each  of  these  syllables  he  pressed 
his  forefinger  by  way  of  emphasis  on  the  wrist  of  Templeton. 

"  Turn  thy  right  ear,"  he  now  said,  "  and  I  will  deliver  to  thee 
in  private  the  true  name  of  this  mystic  order." 

Templeton  obeyed,  and  the  speaker  stooping  low  whispered 
softly  in  his  ear  a  word  of  several  syllables,  which  Templeton 
had  never  heard  before,  which  was  in  a  strange  language  and 
pronounced  so  indistinctly  he  was  not  sure  he  caught  the  sounds 
aright. 

"  I  greet  you  now  as  brother,"  continued  the  tall  man,  address 
ing  him  once  more  aloud,  "  and  remember  that  wherever  you  go 
you  may  make  your  clanship  known  by  the  sign  of  the  three.  If 
you  would  draw  one  of  the  order  to  your  side  first  call  his  atten 
tion  by  an  innocent  sound,  then  raise  the  right  hand  quickly  with 
the  thumb  and  little  finger  closed,  the  other  three  fingers  extended 
and  separated.  If  you  would  greet  a  brother  or  make  your 
self  known  to  one  who  is  a  stranger,  give  him  your  right  hand 
and  press  three  times  distinctly  but  lightly  on  the  pulse  of  his 
right  arm.  Brother,  for  we  count  you  stranger  no  longer,  we 
bid  you  thrice  welcome  as  a  member  of  this  mystic  clan.  When 
the  brotherhood  has  once  more  extended  greeting  you  will  be 


How  Young  Mr.  Templeton  Changes  His  Mind.  117 

withdrawn  beyond  the  confines  of  our  circle,  but  you  may  re- 
enter  unaided  if  you  can  give  the  sentinel  the  grip  of  the  order 
and  whisper  in  his  ear  the  countersign  for  the  night,  which  I  will 
now  impart  to  you." 

The  tall  master  of  ceremonies  once  more  stooped  and  whispered 
in  the  ear  of  Templeton  the  password  which  had  been  adopted 
for  the  night.  The  syllables  were  easily  caught  and  not  difficult 
to  remember,  for  the  countersign  as  imparted  to  him  in  confi 
dence  by  the  Grand  Cyclops  was  "  Sue  Bascombe." 

The  bandage  was  now  removed  from  his  eyes,  and  he  saw  the 
tall  man  still  standing,  with  a  figure  robed  in  black  on  each  side, 
as  at  the  beginning  of  the  ceremony.  One  by  one  the  black-robed 
figures  that  composed  the  circle  left  their  places  and  greeted  him 
with  a  grasp  of  the  hand  and  a  significant  pressure  of  the  fore 
finger  thrice  repeated  upon  his  wrist.  He  observed  in  the  dim 
starlight  that  each  of  these  had  three  large  white  letters,  K.  K.  K., 
upon  the  breast  of  his  gown,  and  looking  down  he  saw  that  he 
himself  was  robed  in  black,  and  that  the  same  letters  were  in 
scribed  upon  his  breast.  When  his  brother  members  had  a  second 
time  greeted  him  he  was  again  blindfolded,  his  cap  and  robes 
were  taken  from  him,  and  he  was  led  away  to  a  spot  some  dis 
tance  off.  Here  his  sight  was  restored,  and  there  was  none  with 
him  but  Teddy  Mclntosh,  clad  in  his  ordinary  garb. 

"  You  may  now  follow  me,"  said  Teddy,  "  and  we  will  go  back 
into  the  circle.  You  must  not  press  too  close  upon  me,  however, 
and  when  I  have  passed  the  sentinel  you  must  approach  him 
alone,  give  him  the  grip  and  whisper  in  his  ear  the  password  you 
have  just  received  from  the  Grand  Cyclops." 

Obeying  this  instruction  literally  Templeton  passed  the  out 
post  without  difficulty,  and  following  his  guide  soon  reached  the 
group  of  persons  he  had  left  assembled  in  the  open  space  between 
the  cedar  thicket  and  the  foot  of  the  bluff.  Each  was  clad  in 
ordinary  attire,  and  they  were  sitting  or  lying  about  at  will  on 
the  ground,  giving  heed  to  some  one  who  though  standing  was 
addressing  them  in  a  low  conversational  tone.  Templeton 
seated  himself  without  formality  in  the  outskirt  of  the  group,  and 
soon  discovered  that  the  individual  speaking  was  a  farmer  whom 
he  had  met  that  day  at  the  court-house.  His  manner  was  hesitat 
ing,  showing  he  was  not  accustomed  to  facing  an  audience,  and 
the  attention  given  his  utterances  was  not  very  flattering.  He 
was  several  times  interrupted,  and  the  meeting  bade  fair  to  be- 


n8  The  K.  K.  K. 

come  a  little  disorderly  when  a  tall  young  man  who  had  been 
sitting  on  a  flat  stone  arose  and  in  measured  tones  commanded 
the  assemblage  to  be  quiet  and  give  heed  to  the  speaker. 

"  That's  Jim  Blankenship,"  whispered  Mclntosh  to  Templeton, 
when  the  tall  youth  had  taken  his  seat.  "  He's  the  best  one  in 
the  deck.  He  takes  everything  in  dead  hard  earnest,  and  you 
can  see  by  his  rigger  that  he's  cut  out  for  a  Grand  Cyclops." 

Templeton  had  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  the  deep  voice  as 
that  of  the  slender  individual  who  had  addressed  him  while  he 
stood  in  the  midst  of  the  clan  blindfolded.  "  He's  a  pretty  tall 
chap  still,"  he  replied  in  an  undertone  to  Teddy  Mclntosh,  "  but 
he's  shrunk  a  good  deal  in  stature  in  the  last  fifteen  minutes." 

"  Oh,  that  was  in  the  make-up,  you  know,"  rejoined  Teddy. 
"  It's  with  us  as  it  is  with  the  gals.  A  heap  depends  on  the 
make-up." 

While  this  whispered  conversation  was  going  on,  the  farmer, 
a  level-headed  fellow,  stumbled  along  in  his  talk. 

"  I  think  it's  too  soon  for  us  to  interfere  in  this  matter,  though 
I  know  many  of  our  members,  and  nearly  all  outsiders,  favor 
immediate  action.  The  man  will  certainly  be  convicted  whenever 
his  case  does  get  to  the  jury,  and  we'd  better  wait  as  long  as 
there  is  a  chance  to  have  him  legally  punished.  It  was  hasty 
counsel  that  led  to  the  hanging  of  Sandy  Kinchen,  and  if  we  err 
at  all  now  we  ought  to  err  on  the  side  of  prudence  and  caution." 

The  speaker  held  the  floor,  or  rather  the  ground  on  which  he 
stood,  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  Random  discussion  followed 
his  speech,  and  it  was  evident  the  clan  had  under  consideration  a 
proposition  to  take  the  case  of  the  State  versus  Ankerstrom  into 
their  own  hands.  There  seemed  to  be  many  minds  on  the  subject, 
and  it  was  hard  to  tell  how  the  assemblage  stood,  when  our 
friend,  Teddy  Mclntosh^  rose  and  favored  those  present  with  his 
views.  His  eloquence  flowed  in  a  torrent,  and  he  spoke  his 
mind  with  a  directness  that  left  no  room  for  misunderstanding. 

"  Now  here,  gentlemen  hobgoblins,"  he  began,  "  I'd  go  as  far 
as  the  next  man  on  the  road  to  caution  and  prudence  and  that 
sort  of  thing,  but  it  does  seem  to  me  if  we're  going  to  take  a  hand 
in  this  game  that  now  is  the  accepted  time.  Talk  about  tha 
hanging  of  Sandy  Kinchen  being  a  rash  proceeding.  So  it  was, 
gentlemen  hobgoblins,  but  who's  responsible  for  it?  Why  this 
here  same  infernal  devil  that  brained  old  Granny  Bascombe  with 
3  chopping  ax.  Nobody  but  him,  as  I  could  prove  before  our 


How  Young  Mr.  Templeton  Changes  His  Mind.  119 

Dreadful  Ulema  right  now,  if  it  was  in  order  for  me  to  do  so. 
Ain't  he  responsible  for  the  hanging  of  Sandy  Kinchen?  Didn't 
I  see  him  hit  that  old  gray  horse  as  hard  as  ever  he  could  ?  And 
didn't  I  see  the  old  horse  jump  when  he  hit  him?  Wasn't  it  that 
lick,  and  that  jump,  that  sent  the  nigger  out  of  the  world  before 
you  could  say  Jack  Robinson?  If  it  wasn't  that  lick,  and  that 
jump,  will  somebody  have  the  kindness  to  tell  just  what  it  was 
that  sent  the  nigger  out  of  the  world?  Now  here,  now  here, 
fellow-citizens  and  hobgoblins,  you  fellows  just  listen  to  me  a 
minute.  Let's  treat  this  •  *oss-eyed  Dutchman  just  like  he  treated 
Sandy  Kinchen.  He  can't  complain  of  that,  because  we'd  be  feed 
ing  him,  so  to  speak,  out  of  his  own  spoon.  I,  for  one,  am  tired  of 
waiting  and  of  all  this  tomfoolery  talk  about  the  courts.  I  know 
the  hobgoblin  that  spoke  last  is  a  gentleman,  and  I  indorse  all  he 
says  in  a  general  way,  but  Cross-eyed  Jack  ought  to  have  been 
at  the  devil  long  ago,  and  we'll  be  much  to  blame,  in  my  opinion, 
if  we  don't  send  him  there  just  as  soon  as  we  can  lay  hands  on 
him.  Talk  about  courts,  haven't  we  got  a  court  of  our  own,  and 
what's  it  for  if  it  can't  settle  the  hash  of  a  lowflung  Dutchman 
without  any  more  tomfoolery  about  it?  I  hope  the  Dreadful 
Ulema  will  get  down  to  business  right  now  and  order  this  misera 
ble  Dutchman  brought  out  of  jail,  where  he's  eating  public 
vittles  and  getting  fat.  And  I  hope  the  Dreadful  Ulema  will 
make  me  one  of  the  party  that's  to  cut  him  off  from  his  rations 
and  fetch  him  here.  If  so  I  will  obey  this  order  of  the  Dreadful 
Ulema,  as  I  will  obey  every  other  order  of  the  Dreadful  Ulema, 
and  I'll  bring  a  rope  along  to  hang  the  scoundrel  just  as  soon 
as  sentence  of  death  has  been  clapped  upon  him.  So  I  will, 
fellow-citizens  and  hobgoblins,  and  all  of  you  that  know  me  at 
all  know  I  mean  just  what  I  say." 

With  these  vehement  words  did  Teddy  Mclntosh  free  his  mind 
of  the  burden  that  had  been  weighing  it  down,  and  many  of  his 
younger  friends,  when  he  was  through,  congratulated  him  upon 
his  effort  and  indorsed  his  sentiments. 

Randolph  Pearson,  however,  had,  more  than  any  other  one 
man,  the  confidence  of  the  clan,  and  he  disposed  of  the  question 
at  issue  in  few  words.  The  time  had  not  come,  he  said,  for  in 
terfering  with  the  due  course  of  law  in  this  matter.  As  yet  the 
clan  could  not  even  afford  to  gravely  consider  such  a  proposition. 
There  had  been  but  a  single  continuance  of  the  case,  and  they 
could  never  justify  themselves  if,  exasperated  by  this  slight  delay, 


120  The  K.  K.  K. 

they  sought  now  by  violent  means  to  take  the  accused  from  the 
proper  authorities  and  dispose  of  him  themselves.  He  admitted 
that  any  delay  in  the  punishment  of  so  heinous  an  offender  was 
discouraging.  He  hoped  the  time  would  come  in  Tennessee 
when  in  every  county  some  judicial  tribunal  would  exist  that 
could  openly  try  the  perpetrator  of  a  monstrous  crime  very  soon 
after  its  commission.  Then  there  would  be  no  reason  why  any 
good  citizen  should  join  in  a  mob  or  countenance  mob  law. 
Reckless  and  lawless  persons  would  still  resort  to  such  methods, 
but  good  citizens,  having  a  better  method  for  the  redress  of  evils, 
would  frown  upon  them,  and  mob  law  would  no  longer  be  toler 
ated.  Good  citizens  now  should  strive  to  amend  their  statutes 
and  as  long  as  it  was  possible  uphold  the  constituted  authorities. 
Crime  must  be  punished.  Self-preservation  was  the  first  law  of 
nature,  and  wherever  in  any  very  flagrant  case  there  was  an  utter 
failure  of  justice  through  the  courts,  the  citizens  of  that  commu 
nity  had  the  right  to  protect  themselves  from  future  outrage  by 
punishing  the  offender.  It  certainly  could  not  be  said  now  that 
there  was  an  utter  failure  of  justice  in  the  Ankerstrom  case.  At 
the  next  term  there  would  doubtless  be  an  open  trial,  and  the  ends 
of  justice  would  be  reached  without  resort  to  illegal  methods. 
The  members  of  the  clan  should  see  to  it  that  every  witness  was 
again  in  place  when  the  case  was  called  in  January.  Till  then 
they  must  possess  their  souls  in  patience,  and  do  all  in  their  power 
to  calm  the  excitement  and  quiet  the  indignation  that  existed  in 
the  public  mind. 

When  Pearson  had  finished  there  was  a  silence  of  some 
moments,  and  then  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  arose  and  delivered 
a  smooth  talk.  He  said  he  had  been  very  much  put  out  indeed 
that  day  in  court,  and  had  expressed  himself  pretty  plainly  in 
town  and  on  the  road  home.  He  wished  to  say  now,  however, 
that  after  listening  to  his  friend  Pearson,  and  turning  the  matter 
over  in  his  own  mind,  he  was  convinced  the  clan  would  do  well 
to  heed  the  advice  just  given  them.  It  was  natural  to  get  mad, 
and  indulge  in  violent  talk,  but  the  wise  thing  to  do  now  was  to 
await  the  further  action  of  the  court.  He  had  been  of  differ 
ent  mind  a  few  hours  before,  but  then  his  angry  passions  were 
aroused.  Now  he  had  cooled  down  and  heartily  indorsed  the 
sentiments  uttered  by  Mr.  Pearson. 

The  Ankerstrom  question  was  thus  disposed  of  without  the 
formality  of  a  vote,  and  the  discussion  drifted  to  other  matters. 


How  Young  Mr.  Templeton  Changes  His  Mind. 

Many  horses  and  mules  had  bee.n  stolen  in  the  vidnity  of  late, 
and  it  seemed  impossible  to  get  on  the  trail  of  the  thieves.  Sus 
picion  at  first  rested  on  the  negroes,  but  it  soon  became  evident 
that  a  systematic  plan  was  being  operated  by  which  the  animals 
were  transported  entirely  out  of  the  country  after  they  were 
stolen.  This  precluded  the  idea  of  the  persistent  scheme  of  dep 
redations  being  entirely  the  work  of  negroes.  If  they  were  en 
gaged  in  it  there  must  be  shrewder  villains  behind  them,  prompt 
ing  them  and  reaping  in  the  main  the  fruits  of  their  disonesty. 
The  strange  thing  was  that  immediate  pursuit,  as  a  rule,  did  not 
enable  the  owners  of  the  stolen  animals  to  discover  which  way 
they  went.  They  disappeared  entirely,  but  no  man  could  say 
how.  It  was  also  singular  that  no  suspicious  strangers  had  been 
seen  lurking  about  in  the  neighborhood.  The  discussion  brought 
out  the  fact  that  an  old  peddler  had  been  lately  on  several  farms 
selling  cheap  jewelry  and  such  articles  mainly  to  negroes,  but 
there  was  no  reason  to  suspect  he  had  any  ulterior  design  beyond 
the  -disposal  of  his  shoddy  wares.  They  resolved,  however,  to 
have  an  eye  on  him,  and  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  all  strangers 
and  a  close  watch  on  several  negroes  in  the  locality  of  notoriously 
bad  character.  Then  the  clan  adjourned  without  very  much 
accomplished,  but  in  better  humor  on  the  whole  than  when  they 
assembled. 


122  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XIV.N 

MR.  BOB  LEE  TEMPLETON  AND  MATILDA,  THE  HOUSEMAID,  HAVE  A 
SINGULAR  EXPERIENCE  WITH  A  BIBLE  AGENT. 

MR.  BOB  LEE  TEMPLETON  having  devoted  a  month  or  two  to 
the  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties  at  home  concluded  he  had 
earned  a  vacation,  and  that  a  little  trip  to  the  Marrowbone  Hills 
would  be  improving  to  his  health,  as  well  as  consoling  to  his 
feelings.  Mounting  his  faithful  steed  therefore  he  set  out  one 
fine  morning  in  the  late  fall,  or  early  winter,  with  the  intention 
of  drawing  rein  about  dark  at  the  residence  of  Major  Habersham, 
which,  he  had  concluded,  would  be  a  convenient  stopping  place 
for  the  night.  As  to  the  next  stage  of  his  journey,  or  whether 
indeed  there  would  be  any  subsequent  stage,  was  a  matter  which 
he  had  not  fully  decided  in  his  own  mind. 

As  he  pursued  his  way  the  air  was  bracing  and  crisp,  the  fields 
were  all  of  sober  hue  from  the  touch  of  the  frost  that  had  dyed 
them  a  uniform  brown,  the  farm  hands  were  singing  at  their  work 
as  they  pulled  the  ears  of  corn  from  the  tall  stalks,  and  all  things 
combined  to  put  the  young  gentleman  in  an  excellent  humor  with 
himself  and  the  world  at  large.  When  the  noon  hour  came  he 
stopped  and  whiled  away  an  hour  or  two  with  a  farmer  acquaint 
ance,  and  resuming  then  his  journey,  proceeded  briskly  on  toward 
his  destination.  His  steed  seemed  to  know  there  was  good  fodder 
ahead  and  quickened  its  pace  so  decidedly  that  as  twilight  ap 
proached  many  familiar  objects  along  the  road  informed  the  rider 
that  he  was  nearing  the  premises  of  Major  Habersham.  The 
days  were  short  now,  and  night  closed  in  early,  so  that  welcome 
lights  from  the  windows  greeted  him  as  he  rode  up  to  the  gate. 
He  was  forcibly  reminded  of  an  evening  in  the  preceding  June, 
when  nearing  the  same  premises  kindly  lights  from  the  same 
windows  beamed  on  him  invitingly.  There  was  this  important 
difference,  however,  that  then  it  was  summer,  and  the  heat  re 
quired  that  all  the  windows  be  raised,  while  now  it  was  frosty 


A  Singular  Experience  With  a  Bible  Agent.     123 

autumn,  when  the  windows  must  be  closed  and  the  curtains 
drawn  to  make  things  snug  and  comfortable;  and  this  other 
important  difference,  that  then  he  was  a  stranger,  and  now  he  was 
an  intimate  acquaintance,  on  excellent  terms  with  all  the  dwellers 
on  the  premises,  from' the  house  dog  up. 

So  when  Mr.  Templeton  rode  up  to  the  gate  he  dismounted 
without  an  invitation  and  hitched  his  horse  at  the  rack  near  by. 
He  then  pursued  his  way  briskly  along  the  brick  pavement  that 
led  to  the  house  and  knocked  at  the  door.  Not  receiving  any  re 
sponse  he  knocked  again,  not  quite  so  softly.  Not  hearing  this 
second  summons  he  smote  the  door  a  third  time  even  more  ve 
hemently,  and  now  it  was  that  answering  footsteps  were  heard 
along  the  hall  floor.  He  assumed  without  much  difficulty  a 
cheerful  aspect  of  countenance,  and  made  ready  to  greet  a  certain 
young  lady  whose  custom  it  was  to  appear  in  person  and  welcome 
visitors  to  her  father's'  mansion.  When  the  bolt  was  drawn,  how 
ever,  and  the  door  turned  upon  its  hinges,  there  stood  before  him 
not  the  somewhat  diminutive  figure  of  Miss  Polly  Habersham, 
but  a  damsel  exceeding  her  considerably  in  stature,  whose  face 
was  about  the  color  of  a  ripe  Florida  orange,  and  whose  manners, 
though  a  trifle  distant,  were  elegant. 

When  the  damsel  above  mentioned  had  thrown  wide  the  hall 
door  and  beheld  Mr.  Templeton  standing  without,  she  bowed 
gracefully  and  smiled  condescendingly.  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Temple- 
ton,  however,  was  a  friendly  fellow — perhaps  a  little  too  much  in 
clined  to  be  familiar  on  short  acquaintance — and  so  he  called 
heartily  out  when  he  saw  the  orange-colored  maiden  before  him: 

"Hello,   Matilda,   where's  the   folks?" 

"They  aren't  here,"  answered  Miss  Matilda,  accompanying 
her  reply  with  a  second  obeisance. 

"Nobody?" 

"  No  one  at  all,"  replied  the  hand-maiden  with  a  decided  ac 
cent  on  the  last  syllable.  "  That  is  to  say,  sir,  there  isn't  any 
person  here  that  belongs  here." 

"That's  the  Dickens,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  as  he 
pushed  by  her  and  entered  the  hall.  Then  he  stood  and  looked 
about  him  as  if  uncertain  himself  what  to  do  next. 

"  They've  all  gone  to  Nashville,  I  think,  sir,  to  consult  a  physi 
cian  about  Mrs.  Habersham,  I  think,  sir." 

"  Is  she  worse  ?  "  inquired  the  visitor,  when  the  polite  hand* 
maiden  had  volunteered  this  information. 


124  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  We  cannot  say  she's  worse,  sir,  and  yet  we  cannot  say,  upon 
the  other  hand,  that  she's  any  better,  sir." 

Mr.  Templeton  stroked  his  chin,  which  was  beardless,  and 
made  no  reply. 

"  We  have  fears  of  her,  sir,"  continued  Matilda,  "  and  we  have 
hopes  of  her." 

"  That's  the  Dickens,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

"  It  is  indeed,"  replied  Matilda. 

"  Can  you  give  me  a  drink  of  water  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Bob  Lee 
Templeton. 

"  Indeed  I  can,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

Mr.  Templeton  drank  the  water  and  next  inquired : 

"  Can  you  give  me  a  strong  cup  of  coffee,  Matilda,  and  some 
bread  and  butter,  and  two  or  three  slices  of  ham,  and  any  little 
jimcracks  that  may  come  handy?  I'm  hungry  as  a  wolf."  ' 

"  Indeed  I  can,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

"  And  say,  Matilda,  you  haven't  said  when  the  folks  are  coming 
back." 

"  About  the  middle  of  next  week,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

"  That's  the  devil,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

"  So  it  is,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  went  into  the  parlor,  which  was  a 
very  snug  parlor  as  a  usual  thing,  but  looked  quite  dull  and  com 
fortless  now.  He  made  believe  to  read  a  book  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  fingered  the  keys  of  the  piano  for  a  few  minutes,  though  he 
couldn't  strike  a  tune.  Then  he  flung  himself  down  on  the  sofa  and 
was  lying  there  outstretched  when  Matilda  summoned  him  to  sus 
tenance. 

Mr.  Templeton  did  full  duty  to  the  repast,  and  when  he  had 
nourished  himself  sufficiently  he  again  addressed  the  hand-maiden. 

"  I  suppose  I  take  the  usual  room  upstairs,  Matilda  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  yes,  sir ;  that  is  to  say,  sir ;  oh,  yes  indeed,  sir;  of 
course,  sir,"  replied  Matilda  in  some  confusion.  "  We  will  see  to 
it,  Mr.  Templeton,  that  you  have  the  very  same  room." 

"  If  there's  any  trouble  about  it,  Matilda " 

"  There  isn't  any  trouble  about  it  at  all,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 
"  There  isn't  the  least  trouble  in  the  world  about  it,  sir,  only,  sir, 
there's  another  person  in  the  room." 

"  Another  person  in  the  room  ?  "  said  Mr.  Templeton  in  some 
astonishment. 

"  Yes  indeed,  sir ;  so  there  is,  sir,  A  very  nice  old  gentleman  in 
the  room," 


A  Singular  Experience  With  a  Bible  Agent.     125 

"  Why  I  thought  you  said  there  was  nobody  at  home  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  one  at  home,  Mr.  Templeton,"  replied  Matilda, 
evidently  laboring  under  some  embarrassment.  "  That  is,  sir,  no 
one  that  belongs  here,  sir ;  none  of  the  family,  sir.  And  you  know 
the  rules  of  the  house,  Mr.  Templeton;  and  you  know  how  very 
strictly  I  always  adhere  to  the  rules  of  the  house  when  the  estab 
lishment  is  left  in  my  charge ;  but,  sir,  this  is  such  a  nice  old  gen 
tleman,  and  such  a  pious  old  gentleman,  and  such  a  well-behaved 
old  gentleman  in  every  way,  that  I  thought  it  right  to  let  him  stay 
all  night,  and  I  thought  it  right  to  put  him  in  our  nicest  bed 
room." 

"What's  his  name?" 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you,  sir,  because  it's  a  foreign  name,  and  it 
will  take  a  foreigner  to  pronounce  it.  But  he  was  a  good  Chris 
tian  man  over  among  the  Turks,  I  think  he  called  the  people,  and 
they  used  him  very  badly,  and  killed  about  half  his  family,  and 
he's  now  selling  Bibles  to  get  money  to  bring  the  other  half  over 
here,  sir.  He's  a  very  nice  old  gentleman,  sir,  and  a  very  pious 
old  gentleman,  and  has  very  agreeable  manners." 

"Has  he  gone  to  bed?" 

"  No,  sir,  he's  just  gone  out  to  walk  a  little  and  muse,"  said 
Matilda  tenderly,  "  upon  his  melancholy  situation.  He'll  be  back 
presently." 

"Well,  Matilda,"  replied  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  being  a 
whole  souled  sort  of  a  fellow,  "  you  did  quite  right  to  take  this 
unfortunate  stranger  in  and  to  give  him  the  best  room  in  the 
house.  As  for  me  you  can  stick  me  anywheres.  I  shall  sit  up 
until  the  old  gentleman  comes  back,  and  have  a  talk  with  him. 
I've  no  doubt  I  shall  be  highly  entertained ;  for  I  have  long  wished 
to  know  something  of  the  condition  of  the  Christians  in  Turkey." 

After  so  long  a  time  the  old  gentleman  came  in,  having  con 
sumed  an  hour  or  so  in  strolling  about  over  the  premises,  musing 
upon  hjs  melancholy  situation  and  smoking  his  pipe.  He  soon 
proved  himself  to  be  quite  an  entertaining  old  gentleman,  and 
succeeded  in  making  himself  understood  more  readily  than  Mr. 
Templeton  expected,  seeing  he  was  but  recently  over  from  a  for 
eign  country.  His  gestures  were  as  eloquent  and  significant  as 
those  of  a  deaf  and  dumb  man,  and  he  had  picked  up  a  few  words 
of  English  with  which  to  supplement  these  when  it  was  necessary 
to  make  out  the  sense.  Altogether  the  little  old  man  managed  to 
convey  his  meaning  clearly  enough,  and  what  with  motions  of  the 


126  The  K.  K.  K. 

hands,  scraps  of  language,  and  expressive  changes  of  counte 
nance,  he  told  a  tale  that  aroused  the  compassion  of  the  sympa 
thetic  Mr.  Templeton,  as  it  had  previously  done  that  of  Matilda, 
the  housemaid.  Such  atrocities  as  the  cruel  Turks  perpetrated 
upon  good  Christians  in  the  lands  beyond  the  seas  Mr.  Temple- 
ton  would  hardly  have  conceived  possible,  and  indeed  would  not 
have  credited  if  the  story  had  been  told  by  other  than  an  eyewit 
ness,  and  a  very  earnest  and  truthful  eyewitness  at  that,  such  as 
the  old  gentleman  undoubtedly  was.  When  the  old  man,  some 
what  wearied — for  he  had  come  afoot — retired  to  his  room,  Mr. 
Templeton  meditated  a  while  by  the  fire,  and  then  addressed  the 
housemaid  as  she  was  passing. 

'  That's  a  nice  old  man,  Matilda." 

"  It  is  indeed,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

"  He  has  seen  sights  in  his  time." 

"  He  has  indeed,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

"  How  many  Bibles  did  you  subscribe  for,  Matilda  ?  " 

"  Only  one,  sir,"  replied  Matilda. 

"  Put  me  down  for  five,"  said  Mr.  Templeton. 

".Indeed  I  will,  sir,"  replied  Matilda  effusively.  "  For  if  ever 
there  was  a  nice  old  gentleman,  as  you  say,  sir,  I  think,  sir,  it's 
this  old  gentleman.  And  if  ever  there  was  an  old  gentleman,  sir, 
which  has  had  calamaties  befall  him,  I'm  quite  sure,  sir,  it's  this 
old  gentleman.  I'll  go  upstairs  right  now  and  tap  at  his  door 
and  tell  him  to  put  you  down  for  five.  The  money  is  not  to  be 
paid  until  he  comes  back  with  the  Bibles,  which  shows  to  my 
mind  that  he  is  a  very  honest,  straightforward  sort  of  a  person." 

"  It  does  indeed,"  cried  Mr.  Templeton.  "  It  speaks  well  for 
him." 

"  Such  misfortunes,  sir,  as  have  come  upon  the  old  gentle 
man,"  continued  Matilda.  "  Why,  sir,  it's  enough  to  make  a  per 
son's  blood  boil  to  hear  him  tell  of  the  troubles  he  has  seen 
through  those  heathen  Turks." 

"Sho-nuff,  Matilda?"  ejaculated  Mr.  Templeton. 

"  Yes  indeed,  Mr.  Templeton,  su-r-r-e  enough,"  replied  Matilda, 
rolling  the  "  r  "  over  her  tongue  as  genteel  folks  invariably  do. 
"  And  to  think,  sir,  of  the  great  sorrow  that's  weighing  him  down 
on  account  of  having  members  of  his  own  family  still  over  there 
at  the  mercy,  as  one  might  say,  of  those  heathen  Turks.  Did  you 
say  five,  sir  ?  " 

"  Six,"  responded  Mr.  Templeton  promptly,    "  And  say  to  the 


A  Singular  Experience  With  a  Bible  Agent.     127 

old  gentleman,  Matilda,  that  the  binding  may  be  of  his  own 
choice." 

"  Oh,  sir,  that  is  kind." 

"  And  say,  Matilda." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  The  old  gentleman,  you  tell  me,  came  afoot,  and  is  no  doubt 
a  little  short  of  funds.  Hand  him  this  ten-dollar  bill,  Matilda, 
with  my  compliments,  and  request  him  to  place  the  amount  as  a 
credit  upon  my  subscription." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  indeed,"  replied  Matilda,  bowing.  "  Oh,  that 
is  very  nice  of  you,  I'm  su-r-re.  The  good  Lord  will  be  certain 
to  reward  you  for  your  noble  behavior,  and  I'll  not  forget,  sir,  to 
mention  the  matter  to  Miss  Marie." 

With  these  comforting  words  Matilda  hastened  upstairs  to  in 
form  the  old  gentleman  of  Mr.  Templeton's  generous  subscrip 
tion,  and  of  his  thoughtful  cash  instalment  thereon. 

I  defy  any  one  to  do  a  meritorious  act  upon  this  earth  with 
out  being  immediately  repaid  for  it  in  the  solace  such  righteous 
conduct  will  bring  to  his  soul.  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  had 
been  fretting,  as  we  know,  during  most  of  the  evening  over  his 
hard  luck  in  not  seeing  any  of  the  Habersham  family  after  his 
long  day's  ride  with  that  special  object  in  view.  Now,  however,  a 
feeling  of  content  stole  over  him  as  his  fancy  conjured  up  the 
vision  of  a  grateful  old  man  setting  down  his  subscription  for 
six  Bibles  and  pocketing  the  advance  payment  of  ten  dollars  on 
same.  When  he  retired  to  rest  his  mind  pursued  the  grateful 
train  of  reflection  thus  aroused,  and  his  sympathies  went  out 
toward  all  the  unfortunates  upon  the  earth  wheresoever  they 
might  be.  He  bethought  him — Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  did — of 
the  great  difference  between  his  own  worldly  condition  and  that 
of  the  poor  old  Bible  vender  roaming  a  fugitive  from  his  far-off 
home.  How  strange  it  was,  he  said  to  himself,  that  divine  provi 
dence  should  turn  the  cold  shoulder,  so  to  speak,  on  many  deserv 
ing  people  in  this  life  and  bestow  comfort  and  happiness  on 
others  far  less  worthy.  And  how  ungrateful  and  unbecoming — 
said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  to  himself — was  the  behavior  of 
that  man  who  having  this  world's  goods,  and  seeing  his  brother 
in  need,  shut  up  his  compassion  from  him.  Then  naturally  Mr. 
Templeton  indulged  in  the  comfortable  reflection  that  his  own 
case  was  not  by  any  means  the  one  just  depicted,  but  quite  the 
reverse.  Then  he  fancied  the  surprise  and  gratification  of  Miss 


128  The  K.  K.  K. 

Polly  when  his  meritorious  conduct  came  to  be  reported  to  her. 
Then  his  pleasing-  fancies  and  his  consciousness  faded  away  to 
gether  and  he  fell  asleep. 

Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  was  a  young  man  who  usually  re 
signed  himself  to  the  arms  of  Morpheus  as  soon  as  he  sought  his 
couch  and  remained  there  contentedly  until  somebody  shook  him 
or  the  breakfast  bell  rang.  On  this  occasion  he  slumbered  even 
more  deeply  than  was  his  wont,  for  he  was  tired  from  his  long 
day's  ride.  After  a  while  he  was  startled  by  such  a  rapping  at 
his  door  as  would  have  roused  one  who  had  gone  to  bed  dead 
drunk  and  was  snoring  off  his  intoxication. 

Opening  his  eyes  wide  Mr.  Templeton  saw  it  was  broad  day 
light,  and  springing  out  of  his  bed  he  recognized  the  voice  of 
Matilda,  keeping  excited  accompaniment  to  the  constant  rapping 
she  maintained  at  the  door. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Templeton,  sir ;  wake  up,  if  you  please,  sir.  Some 
thing  has  happened,  sir,  that  I  was  not  in  the  least  expecting. 
Indeed,  sir,  there  has,  and  the  nee-groes  on  the  place  are  all  in  a 
state  of  dreadful  excitement  over  the  matter.  It  is  a  very 
strange  thing  that  has  happened,  one  that  I  was  not  in  the  least 
expecting,  sir;  not  in  the  least,  sir." 

"  What's  up  with  the  niggers  ? "  inquired  Mr.  Templeton, 
throwing  the  door  open  as  he  spoke;  for  having  leaped  into  his 
trousers,  he  considered  himself  now  in  fit  condition  to  receive 
company. 

"  Oh,  sir,  it  isn't  the  nee-groes  at  all.  It's  a  great  deal  worse 
than  that,  sir.  They  have  stolen  your  horse,  Mr.  Templeton." 

"My  horse?" 

"  Yes  indeed,  sir.  And  more  than  that ;  they  have  stolen  Miss 
Marie's  horse  too — the  one  with  the  blaze  face  they  call  Light- 
foot." 

"  Well,  damn  the  luck,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton, 
for  he  wist  not  what  to  say. 

"  Yes  indeed,"  cried  Matilda.  "  I  say  so  too,  Mr.  Templeton. 
And  that  isn't  all,  sir.  You  know  the  nice  old  gentleman  you 
ordered  the  five  Bibles  from  ?  Well,  sir,  he's  up  and  gone  as  sure 
as  the  world;  and  not  a  soul  has  the  slightest  idea  when  he  left 
the  house  or  which  way  he  went." 

"  What,  left  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  without  saying  a  word 
to  anybody  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Templeton. 

"  That's  just  exactly  what  he  did,  sir.  And  I  can't  help  think 
ing,  sir,  and  saying,  sir,  that  his  conduct  was  a  little  strange." 


A  Singular  Experience  With  a  Bible  Agent.     129 

"  He's  an  infernal  old  humbug,"  asserted  Mr.  Templeton,  tying 
his  shoes  hurriedly  as  he  spoke. 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  to  think,  sir,  that  I  put  him  in  the  very  best 
bed ;  and  put  you,  sir,  in  the  room  that  we  keep,  so  to  speak,  for 
every-day  people." 

"  No  odds  about  that,"  replied  Mr.  Templeton,  and  he  flung  on 
his  waistcoat  and  top  coat  and  began  searching  about  the  room 
for  his  hat. 

"  It's  very  kind  of  you  to  say  so,  sir.  There  it  is,  sir,  hang 
ing  on  the  chair  round  over  in  the  corner.  And  I  hope,  sir,  Miss 
Marie  and  the  Major  will  take  the  same  view  of  the  matter  as 
you  do,  sir.  And  I  hope,  sir,  that  Mrs.  Habersham,  being  quite 
nervous  in  her  disposition,  won't  find  it  out  at  all." 

"  That's  all  right,"  responded  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton.  '  The 
blaze-face  horse,  and  my  horse  too,  did  you  say  ?  " 

"  Both  of  them,  sir,  as  sure  as  the  world,"  said  Matilda. 

"  Well,  damn  the  luck,"  cried  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  again, 
as  he  hastened  down  the  steps. 

"  Yes  indeed,  sir,"  replied  Matilda,  following,  "  that's  what  I 
say." 

When  the  young  gentleman  reached  the  stable  lot  he  found 
nearly  all  the  negroes  on  the  place  gathered  there.  The  padlock 
that  secured  the  door  had  been  picked  with  a  rusty  nail,  which 
was  found  close  beside  it  on  the  ground.  The  two  horses  men 
tioned  had  been  selected  from  several  other  animals  that  stood 
within,  and  two  saddles  for  male  riders  had  been  taken  to  go  with 
the  steeds.  The  inquiry  that  Templeton  at  once  set  on  foot  did 
not  elicit  much  information  that  was  of  service  to  him.  The  sta 
ble  door  had  been  locked  as  usual  the  night  before,  and  the  next 
morning  it  was  found  open  and  the  two  horses  missing.  That 
the  old  book  peddler  was  connected  with  the  transaction  there 
could  be  no  doubt ;  but  he  must  have  had  a  confederate,  for  surely 
no  thief  would  be  bold  enough  to  endeavor  to  escape  from  a  com 
munity  riding  one  stolen  horse  and  leading  another.  A  strange 
negro  had  been  seen  loafing  about  the  neighborhood  for  the  past 
day  or  two,  and  many  were  ready  to  jump  to  the  conclusion  that 
he  and  the  old  book  man  were  partners  in  the  nefarious  business 
of  horse  stealing  though  there  was  no  direct  evidence  upon 
which  to  base  such  a  theory.  The  notion,  however,  once  hatched 
throve  apace,  and  soon  there  was  positive  conviction  in  the  minds 
of  those  present  that  the  suspicious  African  had  a  hand  in  the 
9 


130  The  K.  K.  K. 

robbery  that  had  just  been  perpetrated.  At  the  gate  that  led 
from  the  stable  lot  a  large  human  track  was  found,  which  it  was 
confidently  asserted  could  not  have  been  made  by  any  one  resid 
ing  on  the  premises. 

"  Dis  here's  a  nigger  track !  "  exclaimed  one  self-constituted  de 
tective,  scrutinizing  closely  the  fresh  impression  in  the  earth. 
"  Dey  ain't  no  white  man  gwy  tote  such  a  foot  as  dis." 

"  Lem-me  tell  you,  lem-me  tell  you,"  cried  the  old  man  Uncle 
Davy,  who  had  favored  the  sheriff  with  his  views  on  the  occasion 
of  that  officer's  last  visit  to  the  place,  "  all  dis  comes  of  givin'  a 
furriner  de  company  room  of  de  house,  and  makin'  Marse  Bob 
Lee  Templeton  here  put  up  wid  what  he  could  git.  And  all  dat 
comes  of  fotchin'  a  mularter  gal  out'n  town  to  run  things  on  dis 
place  her  own  fashion  when  de  white  folks  is  away." 

Matilda  up  to  this  moment  had  been  a  conspicuous  member  of 
the  assembly,  but  finding  herself  thus  pointedly  alluded  to  she 
turned  indignantly  and  made  her  way  trippingly  toward  the 
house.  The  old  man  did  not  fail  to  observe  her  retreat  and  was 
encouraged  thereby  to  continue  his  strictures. 

"  Never  mind,  nev-er  mind.  Lightfoot  was  de  horse  dat  sot 
Miss  Polly  off  so,  and  now  he  done  gone  wid  dat  low  down 
furriner  and  you'll  have  to  take  de  road  wid  um.  You  been 
cuttin'  some  mighty  tall  shines  'bout  here,  gal,  but  dis  here  job  will 
do  you  up." 

"  She's  all  right,  Uncle  Davy,"  said  Templeton  kindly.  "  That 
old  thief  would  have  fooled  anybody.  He  fooled  me,  and  he 
would  have  fooled  you  if  he  had  got  a  chance  at  you." 

"  Dat  he  wouldn't,  Marse  Bob,"  replied  the  old  man,  somewhat 
disconcerted  at  finding  Matilda's  cause  espoused  by  the  young 
gentleman.  "  He  mout  a  fooled  you,  and  he  mout  a  fooled  dat 
yander  mularter  gal,  but  de  man  dat's  to  fool  Uncle  Davy  ain't 
been  born  yit." 

"  Maybe  so,  Uncle  Davy,  but  tell  'em  to  bring  out  the  best 
horse  that's  left  on  the  place  and  I'll  see  if  I  can't  get  on  the  track 
of  the  scoundrels."  Saying  which  the  young  gentleman  returned 
to  the  house  to  swallow  a  hasty  breakfast  and  make  ready  for  the 
ride  he  proposed  to  take. 

Templeton  had  not  attended  a  single  meeting  of  the  K.  K.  K. 
since  the  night  of  his  initiation,  but  he  was  resolved  now  to  hunt 
up  his  friend,  Teddy  Mclntosh,  and  through  him  to  arouse  at 
once  certain  other  active  members  of  the  order.  By  prompt  pur 
suit  he  hoped  to  overtake  the  thieves  before  they  were  entirely 


A  Singular  Experience  With  a  Bible  Agent.     131 

out  of  the  country.  The  horses  they  had  stolen  were  easily  de 
scribed,  and  by  diligent  inquiry  the  direction  they  had  taken 
could  soon  be  learned.  "Once  on  their  trail  with  two  or  three 
zealous  comrades  he  did  not  propose  to  give  over  the  chase  until 
the  scoundrels  were  apprehended  and  the  stolen  animals  recov 
ered.  As  he  was  about  to  set  out  old  Uncle  Davy,  who  was 
a  privileged  character  on  the  place,  gave  him  some  useful 
advice. 

"  Don't  you  ride  round  dese  parts  atter  dark,  Marse  Bob;  ef 
you  do  de  Ku  Klux  will  sholy  git  you.  Don't  you  set  your  head 
to'ds  no  place  dat  you  can't  reach  afo'  candlelight.  Dar's  all 
kinds  of  devils  and  ghosteses  in  dem  Marrowbone  Hills,  and  dey 
walks  mostly  in  de  night  time.  Soon  as  de  sun  go  down  ef  you 
ain't  in  some  house  or  'nother,  you  watch  out  for  de  Ku  Klux,  and 
ef  you  meets  one  un  'em  you  put  de  lash  to  your  hoss  and  make 
tracks  from  dar  as  fass  as  you  kin." 

"  How  will  I  know  one  of  them  if  I  see  him,  Uncle  Davy  ?  " 
inquired  Templeton. 

"  You'll  know  'um  wharever  you  see  'um.  Dey  ain't  no  com 
mon  lot,  I  tells  you.  Some  un  'um  is  dressed  in  black  and  some 
in  white.  Some  is  on  foot,  bust  mostly  dey  rides  hosses  dat  look 
zackly  like  sho-nuff  hosses,  but  dey  ain't.  Some  is  all  scropched 
up,  and  t'others  is  long  and  slim  as  a  fence  rail.  Dey  was  in  dis 
country  'bout  de  time  freedom  come,  and  one  night  dey  run  me 
twell  my  tongue  drap  out'n  my  mouth.  Ef  I  hadn't  broke  for  de 
creek,  and  crossed  dat,  dey'd  a  got  me  sho." 

"  How  did  that  save  you  ?  " 

"  Why  hi,  mun ;  don't  you  know  a  witch  can't  cross  runnin' 
water?  When  dey  got  to  de  creek  dey  stopped  and  jabbered 
dar  a  while,  and  den  all  turn  back.  Dat  what  make  me  know  for 
sartain  dey  wa'n't  no  humans." 

"  Did  you  ever  meet  any  of  them  again  ?  " 

"  Did  I  ?  You  takes  me  for  a  fool,  does  you,  Marse  Bob  ?  Dat 
one  time  done  me,  lem-me  tell  you.  Atter  dat  I  done  my  travel- 
in'  by  daylight,  bekase  one  foot  race  wid  de  Ku  Klux  crowd  be 
hind  me  was  sufficient." 

"  What  went  with  the  Ku  Klux  that  were  in  the  country  then  ?  " 

"  Dat's  a  question,  Marse  Bob,  dat  de  smartest  man  in  de  world 
can't  answer.  Dey  all  speerited  deyselves  away,  and  folks  was 
in  hopes  dey  was  gone  for  good;  but  now  here  dey  done  come 
ag'in," 


I32  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  I'll  look  out  for  'em,  Uncle  Davy,"  replied  Templeton  as  he 
rode  away. 

"  You  git  in  de  house  by  candlelight,  you  do  dat,"  said  the  old 
man.  "  Dat's  de  onliest  way  to  keep  de  Ku  Klux  from  ketchin'  you. 
As  for  dat  nigger  what  helped  de  ole  white  man  to  take  dem 
hosses,  if  ever  you  gits  him,  Marse  Bob,  you  fetch  him  back  here 
for  me  to  look  at.  Niggers  has  been  stealin'  chickens  a  long 
time,  but  when  dey  git  to  stealin'  hosses  dey've  riz." 

Templeton  rode  off  at  a  gallop,  and  before  the  day  was  through 
had  gathered  at  least  a  dozen  members  of  his  secret  order  to  aid 
him  in  pursuit  of  the  horse  thieves.  They  went  out  in  different 
directions,  made  diligent  inquiry,  and  patroled  the  principal 
roads  at  night,  but  received  little  information  that  could  profit 
them  in  their  search.  Telegrams  of  course  were  sent  off  and  re 
wards  offered,  and  they  hoped  after  a  while  to  get  some  return 
from  these  efforts  to  arrest  the  outlaws,  but  the  strange  thing  was 
that  they  could  not  be  traced  out  of  the  neighborhood  in  which 
the  crime  had  been  committed.  Horses  cannot  be  easily  hidden 
so  as  to  escape  observation,  and  if  they  travel  the  highway  by  day 
or  night  they  will  be  seen  or  heard.  Only  one  clue  did  Temple- 
ton  and  his  friends  get  as  to  the  direction  the  thieves  had  taken, 
and  that  clue  was  lost  almost  as  soon  as  found.  A  country  doc 
tor  riding  in  a  narrow  lane  on  the  night  of  the  robbery  met  two 
men  on  horseback.  One  of  these  was  a  negro  and  the  other  a 
white  man.  It  was  after  midnight,  and  neither  accosted  him  as 
they  brushed  close  beside  him  in  the  road.  He  regarded  them  as 
suspicious  characters,  but  being  alone  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to 
interrupt  them.  This  seemed  to  make  it  reasonably  certain  that 
the  thieves,  as  suspected,  were  a  negro  and  a  white  man,  but 
where  they  went  after  the  robbery,  and  how  they  managed  to  get 
out  of  the  country  with  the  stolen  property,  was  for  a  long  time 
a  mystery. 

Miss  Marie — alias  Polly — Habersham  did  not  recover  her 
blaze-faced  horse  called  Lightfoot,  and  Mr.  Robert  Lee  Temple- 
ton  for  some  time  bemoaned  the  loss  of  his  roadster  that  traveled 
so  smoothly  under  the  saddle.  Miss  Polly,  they  said,  rode  to 
church  several  times  that  fall  on  a  pacing  mule,  though  it  is  an  un 
deniable  fact  that  she  might  have  gone  to  the  place  of  worship  in 
a  buggy  if  she  had  been  so  minded.  Major  Habersham  for  some 
weeks  withdrew  his  mind  from  the  state  of  the  country  at  large, 
and  began  forming  plans  in  his  head  for  the  right  ordering  of 


A  Singular  Experience  With  a  Bible  Agent.     133 

things  in  his  own  immediate  locality.  There  was  some  wonder 
ment  and  much  grumbling  in  the  community,  and  folks  gener 
ally  agreed  that  matters  had  come  to  a  Dickens  of  a  pass  in  the 
Marrowbone  Hills  and  the  regions  thereabout.  Horses  were 
stolen,  houses  burned,  women  murdered,  and  the  community 
seemed  powerless  to  protect  itself  from  such  depredations.  Most 
of  the  outlaws  got  away  unmolested,  and  if  they  caught  one  now 
and  then  he  was  turned  over  to  the  law,  which  most  people  re 
garded  as  a  sort  of  house  of  refuge  for  scoundrels. 

Teddy  Mclntosh  more  than  once  moved  in  the  secret  councils 
of  his  order  that  when  the  clan  caught  a  scoundrel  the  clan  should 
deal  with  that  scoundrel,  and  not  permit  the  dilatory  courts  to 
screen  him  from  punishment.  This  resolution  was,  however,  al 
ways  voted  down,  and  the  prudent  members  of  the  clan  still  perse 
vered  in  the  determination  to  aid  the  law  in  the  apprehension  of 
criminals,  and  to  labor  thereafter  for  the  punishment  of  such  of 
fenders  through  the  courts.  Which  conclusion  on  their  part  was 
undoubtedly  wise  and  commendable. 


134  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

SOME  JOLLY  GOOD  FELLOWS  MEET  AT  THE  TAVERN  ;  AND  THE  CASE 
OF  THE  STATE  VERSUS  ANKERSTROM  IS  AGAIN  CALLED  IN  COURT. 

IT  was  several  weeks  later,  that  is  in  the  month  of  January  of 
the  following  year,  that  Attorney  Palaver  mounted  a  good  nag, 
hired  from  a  livery  stable,  and  set  his  face  toward  the  hill  coun 
try  lying  along  the  upper  Cumberland.  As  a  general  thing  it  was 
he  who  looked  after  such  business  as  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  firm  in 
the  outside  counties  of  the  judicial  circuit,  while  the  more  sedate 
Slowboy  remained  at  home  to  mind  the  office.  Palaver  himself  did 
not — as  some  starvelings  in  his  profession  were  compelled  to  do — 
make  the  round  regularly  with  the  judge  and  attorney-general  to 
pick  up  stray  crumbs,  but  when  a  fat  fee  was  offered  in  another 
county  he  went  thither  to  earn  it,  and  such  occasional  outings 
were  in  every  way  agreeable  to  him.  He  enjoyed  the  ride  if  the 
weather  was  good  and  the  country  roads  in  tolerable  condition. 
He  enjoyed  the  scenery  and  the  various  objects  of  interest  along 
the  route,  for  he  was  a  close  observer,  and  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  sentiment  in  his  composition.  He  enjoyed  the  quips  and  jokes 
of  his  brother  lawyers,  if,  as  was  usually  the  case,  there  were 
others  in  the  company.  And  lastly  he  enjoyed  the  good  whisky 
that  was  invariably  taken  along  by  some  prudent  member  of  the 
party  to  have  in  readiness  in  case  of  snake  bites. 

The  fact  is,  Lawyer  Palaver  enjoyed  life,  and,  like  a  true  phi 
losopher,  made  the  most  of  it  day  by  day.  In  the  practice  of  his 
profession  he  relished  all  the  little  exciting  incidents  that  arose 
from  time  to  time  to  put  him  on  his  mettle  and  bring  out  his  talent 
before  the  world.  So  much  did  he  delight  in  everything  connected 
with  his  chosen  profession  that  it  was  a  settled  rule  of  his  never 
to  turn  a  lawsuit  loose  as  long  as  he  could  hold  on  to  it.  In  crim 
inal  cases,  where  he  nearly  always  appeared  on  the  side  of  the  de 
fense,  he  pursued  the  well-known  Fabian  policy,  and  usually  ex- 


Some  Jolly  Good  Fellows  Meet  at  the  Tavern.      135 

hausted  not  only  opposing  counsel, but  judge,  jury, witnesses,  and 
a  long-suffering  public,  before  ever  he  would  permit  himself  to  be 
drawn  into  a  decisive  engagement.  It  required,  of  course,  great 
adroitness  and  skill  to  be  able  to  conduct  his  campaigns  on  this 
plan,  but  these  were  precisely  the  qualities  which  Palaver  abun 
dantly  possessed,  and  which  it  was  his  chief  pleasure  to  display. 
He  was  intimately  acquainted  with  all  the  maneuvers  whereby  the 
progress  of  justice  may  be  hindered  in  the  courts,  and  was  especi 
ally  skilled  in  the  use  of  that  formidable  legal  weapon  known  as 
the  affidavit.  Sancho  Panza,  the  knight  of  La  Mancha  thought, 
was  born  with  a  bellyful  of  proverbs,  and  there  were  not  wanting 
those  among  Palaver's  legal  acquaintances  who  insisted  that  he 
had  been  born  with  a  bellyful  of  affidavits.  However  this  might 
be,  he  certainly  had  one  ready  for  all  occasions,  and  it  was  a  cold 
day  indeed  when — however  hopeless  might  seem  to  be  his  chance 
to  effect  a  further  postponement  of  the  issue — he  did  not  turn  up 
with  an  affidavit  to  fit  the  case. 

On  this  particular  winter  morning  then  behold  our  friend  Pala 
ver  astraddle  of  a  well-gaited  nag  pursuing  his  way  toward  the 
village  of  Ashton,  where  the  case  of  the  State  versus  Ankerstrom 
had  been  set  for  trial  next  day.  He  was  in  fine  feather,  and  every 
thing  indicated  that  he  was  cocked  and  primed  for  the  important 
trial  that  was  ahead  of  him.  Two  or  three  brother  lawyers  were 
along,  and  the  prisoner,  Cross-eyed  Jack,  was  along,  and  alto 
gether  they  made  a  goodly  company  of  gentlemen  traveling  to 
court.  With  friendly  discourse  they  put  the  miles  speedily  enough 
behind  them,  and  about  nightfall  reached  in  good  trim  the  place 
for  which  they  were  bound.  Here  Sanderson  and  Johan  Anker 
strom  put  up  at  the  county  jail,  while  the  others,  making  their 
way  to  the  tavern,  sought  more  agreeable  quarters  for  the  night. 

Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  traveling  from  a  different  direction, 
had  reached  the  town  some  hours  ahead  of  this  party,  and,  being 
young  and  upheaded,  had  engaged  for  himself  the  very  best  room 
in  the  hostelry.  During  the  evening  meal,  of  which  they  all  par 
took  as  became  hungry  travelers,  Mr.  Templeton  conversed  freely 
with  the  attorneys  at  table,  and  found  them  quite  companionable 
and  gracious  in  their  manners.  The  younger  members  of  the 
profession  were  somewhat  disposed  to  air  their  learning  and  too 
much  inclined  to  be  disputatious,  but  all  were  good-natured  and 
courteous,  as  became  those  whose  daily  task  it  was  to  take  and 
give  hard  knocks.  Templeton,  who  was  a  gentleman,  was  pleased 


136  The  K.  K.  K. 

with  this  characteristic,  and  it  elevated  the  legal  fraternity  in  his 
opinion. 

After  supper,  as  his  apartment  was  roomy,  and  he  had  a  good  log 
fire  blazing  on  the  hearth,  first  one  and  then  another  of  the  law 
yers  dropped  into  Templeton's  "room,  and  soon  without  previous 
agreement  the  entire  number  was  assembled  there.  In  all  there 
were  about  a  dozen  come  from  different  quarters  to  attend  court, 
and,  chairs  having  been  brought,  a  free  and  easy  offhand  conver 
sation  began  that  was  exciting  to  the  actual  participants  and 
highly  entertaining  to  all  others.  Somebody  reported  that  it  was 
drizzling  rain  on  the  outside,  and  somebody  else  remarked  that 
if  such  was  the  case  there  was  nothing  left  for  those  under  shelter 
to  do  but  take  a  drink.  From  that  moment  the  bottle  was  pushed 
briskly  about,  and  the  little  gathering  before  many  more  golden 
moments  had  sped  was  in  high  spirits.  Mr.  Templeton  was  a  be 
liever  in  the  old  maxim  that  when  in  Rome  you  should  do  as  the 
Romans  do,  and  so  he  imbibed  rather  freely  with  those  about  him, 
and  presently  was  the  loudest  laugher  in  the  crowd.  A  man  may 
drink,  however,  and  not  be  drunk,  and  Mr.  Templeton  on  this  oc 
casion,  while  a  little  thick-tongued  toward  the  close  of  the  even 
ing,  and  somewhat  glassy  about  the  eyes,  never,  I  am  proud  to 
relate,  lost  for  a  moment  the  use  of  his  legs. 

Palaver,  while  the  ranking  member  in  point  of  age,  was  the 
choicest  spirit  of  the  festive  throng,  and  shortly  before  midnight 
took  the  floor  with  the  manifest  purpose  of  retaining  it  till  the 
break-up  of  the  entertainment.  He  spraddled  his  legs  rather  widely 
apart,  lifted  his  right  hand  in  argumentative  fashion,  and  began 
a  running  discourse  on  matters  and  things  in  general.  Interrup 
tions  were  frequent,  and  many  remarks  hurled  at  him  were  of  a 
personal  nature,  but  nothing  could  disconcert  him.  He  not  only 
gave  in  every  instance  a  Roland  for  an  Oliver,  but  usually  re 
torted  so  successfully  upon  his  unmannerly  questioners  that  he 
presently  put  all  his  adversaries  to  silence.  Then  he  rambled  on, 
with  none  to  molest  him  or  make  him  afraid,  till  half  his  auditors 
feigned  to  be  asleep,  and  the  other  half  were  really  so.  The  night 
being  now  far  spent  the  gathering  dispersed  to  snatch  as  much 
sleep  as  could  be  obtained  before  the  court-house  bell  rang  next 
morning. 

The  following  day  to  a  late  breakfast  came  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Tem 
pleton  and  two  or  three  of  the  younger  lawyers,  the  rest  being 
tardy.  When  the  meal  had  been  finished  one  of  the  attorneys  took 


Some  Jolly  Good  Fellows  Meet  at  the  Tavern.     137 

Mr.  Templeton  aside,  saying  he  wished  to  have  words  with  him. 
When  they  had  retired  a  sufficient  distance  to  avoid  being  over 
heard  he  advised  the  young  man  to  employ  counsel  to  assist  the 
attorney-general  in  the  Ankerstrom  case. 

"  It  is  nothing  to  me,  you  understand,"  said  the  attorney,  "  but 
I  just  thought  I'd  mention  the  matter  to  you  and  let  you  consider 
it.  It  seems  to  me  the  public  interest  demands  that  Whackemall 
have  help  in  this  Ankerstrom  case.  Palaver,  I  notice,  represents 
the  defendant,  and  you  may  not  know  it,  but  he's  the  most  dan 
gerous  man  in  our  profession.  Didn't  you  observe  how  he  downed 
every  fellow  that  tackled  him  last  night?  " 

Mr.  Templeton's  memory  was  not  very  clear  as  to  the  transac 
tions  of  the  preceding  evening,  but  he  retained  a  vague  impression 
that  Palaver  was  the  hero  of  the  hour,  and  that  he  himself  had 
given  him  unstinted  applause. 

"  I  thought  I'd  mention  the  matter  to  you/'  said  the  attorney. 
"No  harm  in  that?" 

"  None  in  the  world,"  replied  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  cheer 
fully.  "  Whackemall,  as  you  say,  seems  to  be  an  uncertain  sort 
of  a  man.  I  understood  from  him  that  there  would  be  no  trouble 
about  getting  the  case  up  at  the  last  term,  and  there  must  be  no 
slip  this  time." 

"  He  did  his  best,"  replied  the  attorney,  who  was  a  very  gentle 
manly  sort  of  fellow.  "  Whackemall  is  a  good  man.  A  little 
crusty  now  and  then,  but  honest  and  forcible.  Palaver,  though, 
can  walk  all  over  him  in  a  criminal  case.  From  all  I  can  learn 
this  man  Ankerstrom  deserves  hanging  as  richly  as  ever  a  scoun 
drel  did  on  this  earth.  As  to  whether  he'll  get  his  dues  or  not  de 
pends  though,  you  understand,  altogether  on  the  way  his  case  is 
handled." 

The  result  of  the  confab  was  that  Mr.  Templeton  concluded  to 
employ  assistant  counsel  for  the  prosecution  in  the  Ankerstrom 
case,  and  to  pay  the  fee  himself.  He  was  a  whole-souled  young 
gentleman,  and  his  energies  now  were  thoroughly  enlisted  on  the 
side  of  what  he  deemed  to  be  law  and  justice  in  the  case.  He 
struck  a  bargain,  and  a  fair  one,  with  the  young  attorney  who  had 
given  him  the  disinterested  advice*  and  found  him  afterwards  to 
be  a  valuable  ally,  as  well  as  a  congenial  companion. 

The  day  was  foggy,  cold  and  disagreeable.  It  had  rained  hard 
during  the  night,  the  roads  were  muddy  and  slippery,  and  the 
watercourses  swollen  and  difficult  to  ford.  Still  all  the  witnesses 


138  The  K.  K.  K. 

in  the  Ankerstrom  case  were  on  hand  before  nine  o'clock,  the 
hour  at  which  court  would  open.  Templeton  and  Youngblood, 
the  new  attorney,  got  them  all  together  in  the  lower  story  of  the 
court-house,  and  a  roll-call  developed  the  fact  that  not  one  was 
missing.  Mrs.  Hopson,  the  poor  lady  whose  pantry  had  been 
robbed,  was  present,  and  had  brought  her  little  daughter  along 
for  the  reason,  as  she  said,  that  the  little  girl  had  kept  one  eye  on 
the  marauder  during  the  whole  time  he  was  in  the  house,  while 
each  of  the  boys  had  his  head  under  the  cover.  Templeton  could 
not  see  how  her  evidence  would  be  material,  but  Youngblood  ex 
plained  that  flight  was  indicative  of  guilt,  and  this  woman  and 
child  would  prove  that  the  defendant  came  half-famished  to  their 
house  in  the  night  time,  with  his  head  matted  with  leaves,  show 
ing  he  was  in  hiding  somewhere  near.  For  the  same  reason  the 
testimony  of  Pete,  who  also  answered  to  his  name,  would  be  rele 
vant,  as  he  saw  the  defendant  creep  from  his  lair  in  the  briar  patch. 
Jineral  Beauregard  would  perhaps  be  excluded  from  the  witness 
stand,  upon  the  double  ground  that  he  would  find  difficulty  in 
making  himself  understood  and  that  there  was  nothing  to  show  he 
entertained  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being.  The  good  lady  who  in 
formed  Mrs.  Bascombe  of  the  hanging  of  Sandy  was  among  the 
witnesses,  dripping,  but  cheerful,  and  longing  for  the  opportunity 
to  go  over  the  whole  narration  again  for  the  edification  of  the 
court  and  bystanders.  Many  others  were  present,  white,  black, 
male,  female,  young,  old,  and  Mr.  Youngblood  checked  off  the 
names  of  all  on  his  paper  as  they  answered  to  his  call. 

Miss  Sue  Bascombe  rode  up  while  the  roll-call  was  proceed 
ing,  mounted  on  a  strong  horse,  the  tail  of  which  had  been  com 
pactly  clubbed  to  keep  that  ornament  from  being  bespattered  with 
mud.  Templeton  went  out  and  helped  her  down.  Then  he  es 
corted  her  into  the  court-house  and  introduced  her  to  Youngblood, 
who  seemed  to  be  much  pleased  to  meet  her. 

Mr.  Randolph  Pearson  arrived  early,  and  he  and  Templeton 
rented  a  vacant  store  for  the  accommodation  of  the  numerous  wit 
nesses  during  the  three  or  four  days  for  which  the  trial  was  ex 
pected  to  last.  They  also  rented  a  barn  close  at  hand,  in  which  all 
the  horses  of  the  company  could  be  stabled.  Provender  in  abun 
dance  was  bought  and  placed  here,  and  Uncle  Davy,  from  the 
Habersham  place,  was,  upon  recommendation  of  Templeton,  put 
in  charge  of  the  improvised  livery  stable.  These  arrangements 
complete,  the  two  gentlemen  felt  themselves  ready  to  enter  into  a 


Some  Jolly  Good  Fellows  Meet  at  the  Tavern.    139 

protracted  engagement  when  the  court-house  bell  rung  at  nine 
o'clock. 

Sheriff  Sanderson  had  summoned  a  great  array  of  jurors  for  the 
occasion.  The  accused  at  the  trial  would  be  entitled  to  twenty- 
four  challenges  without  assigning  any  cause  therefor,  and  the 
State  to  ten  upon  the  same  excellent  grounds  :  there  must  be  twelve 
jurors  in  the  box,  and  so  it  required  forty-six  good  and  lawful 
men  to  constitute  a  panel.  This  was  the  least  number  that  would 
suffice  in  any  case  where  the  indictment  was  for  murder,  but  here 
the  whole  community  was  familiar  with  the  shocking  tragedy  at  the 
Bascombe  place,  and  the  exciting  incidents  attending  the  pursuit 
and  capture  of  the  prisoner,  Ankerstrom,  and  many  of  those  sum 
moned  would  be  disqualified,  as  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  citizen 
who  had  not  formed  an  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  of  the  accused.  In 
Tennessee  to  be  a  competent  juror  one's  mind  at  the  outset  of  the 
investigation  must  be  like  a  sheet  of  blank  paper,  upon  which  law 
yers,  witnesses  and  the  court  will  inscribe  matter  for  subsequent 
consideration.  The  best  juror  in  the  world,  one  would  think, 
would  be  an  intelligent,  fair-minded  man  who  had  formed  per 
haps  an  offhand  opinion  from  newspaper  reading  and  promiscu 
ous  talk,  but  who  stood  ready  to  discard  such  opinion  and  give 
the  accused  a  fair  hearing  on  the  law  and  the  evidence.  Such  a 
one  with  us,  however,  would  be  challenged  for  cause,  as  he  would 
not  be  able  to  approach  the  investigation  with  an  unbiased  mind, 
while  an  ignoramus,  incapable  of  reaching  a  sound  conclusion  on 
any  subject,  would  be  accepted  as  a  competent  juror.  This  rule 
not  only  operates  to  make  the  execution  of  the  criminal  law  weak 
est  in  those  cases  where  it  should  be  strongest,  but  it  not  infre 
quently  balks  entirely  the  administration  of  justice.  News  nowa 
days  travels  fast  and  far,  and  when  a  shocking  crime  is  committed 
rumor  and  the  daily  papers  carry  the  details  into  the  most  re-- 
mote  neighborhoods.  Prudent  and  thoughtful  people  form  opin 
ions  that  might  be  changed  upon  the  hearing  of  more  trustworthy 
evidence,  and  the  weak  and  excitable  jump  to  conclusions  and 
form  prejudices  from  rumor  that  cannot  be  afterwards  shaken 
at  all.  The  consequence  is  that  the  entire  community  is  thus  some 
times  disbarred  from  sitting  as  triers  of  the  cause,  and  in  a  whole 
county  not  twelve  men  can  be  found  who  are  competent  jurors. 
This  was  practically  the  situation  Sheriff  Sanderson  had  to  face 
when  he  went  forth  to  obtain  a  panel  in  the  Ankerstrom  case.  In 
stead  of  forty-six  men  he  summoned  a  hundred,  many  of  whom 


140  The  K.  K.  K. 

were  so  ignorant  that,  to  use  his  own  expression,  they  hardly  knew 
General  Jackson  was  dead.  These  men  were  put  down  on  the  list 
in  the  hope  that  they  might  not  have  heard  at  all  of  the  Bascombe 
murder.  Yet  as  soon  as  they  had  gathered  at  the  court-house 
Sanderson  found  they  nearly  all  knew  something  of  the  case,  and 
were  ready  to  return  a  verdict  of  guilty  against  the  prisoner  be 
fore  a  single  witness  was  called  to  testify. 

Court  opened  at  the  usual  hour,  and  the  apartment  in  which  the 
trial  was  to  proceed  was  so  packed  with  human  beings  that  there 
was  hardly  standing  room  behind  the  bar.  Within  the  railing  the 
contracted  space  was  nearly  filled  with  lawyers,  favored  guests, 
and  female  witnesses,  who  were  given  seats  here  till  the  time  came 
for  them  to  be  sworn  and  sent  beyond  the  hearing  of  the  evidence. 
After  some  delay  the  prisoner  was  brought  in  handcuffed  and 
under  charge  of  six  or  eight  officers.  This  was  not  from  appre 
hension  that  he  might  escape,  but  for  fear  the  excited  and  angry 
crowd  would  seize  him  as  soon  as  they  laid  eyes  on  him  and  do 
him  to  death  in  the  very  hall  of  justice.  Nothing  but  the  well- 
known  firmness  of  Sanderson  prevented  an  outbreak  as  the  officers 
edged  their  way  through  the  throng ;  and  as  it  was  the  expression 
of  animosity  that  rested  on  every  countenance  boded  ill  for  the 
prisoner,  for  from  this  hostile  assemblage  were  to  be  selected  the 
twelve  jurors  who  would  decide  his  fate. 

"  Is  the  State  ready  ? "  inquired  the  judge  when  the  clerk  had 
called  the  Ankerstrom  case. 

The  attorney-general  sat  by  a  table,  and  at  his  side  was  the 
young  gentleman  who  had  been  employed  as  assistant  counsel. 
This  latter  had  a  note-book  and  a  well-sharpened  pencil  to  take 
down  the  testimony  of  the  various  witnesses,  there  being  no  regu 
lar  stenographer  at  hand. 

"  The  State  is  ready,"  answered  the  attorney-general  promptly, 
in  response  to  the  inquiry  of  the  court. 

"  Is  the  defendant  ready?  "  inquired  the  judge,  looking  now  in 
the  direction  of  the  prisoner. 

Palaver  up  to  this  moment  had  been  engaged  in  friendly  conver 
sation  with  a  brother  attorney  upon  a  subject  wholly  foreign  to  the 
matter  in  hand.  When  in  the  midst  of  this  he  found  himself  ac 
costed  by  the  judge,  he  rose  and  asked  for  a  little  time  in  which  to 
confer  with  his  client.  Having  retired  to  a  back  room  he  remained 
for  some  while,  and  then  returned  into  court  with  the  statement 
that  he  found  it  would  be  necessary  to  prepare  an  affidavit,  ancl 


Some  Jolly  Good  Fellows  Meet  at  the  Tavern.     141 

he  hoped  the  honorable  court  would  indulge  him  for  a  reasonable 
length  of  time  while  he  devoted  himself  to  this  task.  He  was  ab 
sent  now  for  full  three-quarters  of  an  hour ;  indeed,  remained  away 
so  long  that  first  the  bystanders,  and  then  the  judge,  grew  im 
patient. 

The  sheriff  was  sent  into  the  back  room  to  notify  the  attorney 
that  the  court  was  waiting  on  him.  He  found  Palaver  leaning 
back  in  a  chair,  with  his  heels  cocked  up  on  the  window  sill,  puff 
ing  away  comfortably  at  a  cigar.  The  sheriff  imparted  to  him  the 
information  that  business  in  the  front  room  was  being  delayed  in 
consequence  of  his  absence. 

f<  You  don't  say  so  ?  "  exclaimed  Palaver,  as  if  astonished  at  the 
intelligence.  "  Why,  Sanderson,  you  should  have  notified  me 
sooner.  I  supposed,  of  course,  that  some  other  matter  was  engag 
ing  the  attention  of  the  court." 

The  fact  is  it  was  a  favorite  trick  of  the  attorney's,  and  one  by 
which  he  often  won,  to  occupy  so  much  time  with  preliminaries 
that  the  impatient  judge  would  call  another  case,  the  consideration 
of  which  might  consume  the  entire  day.  The  next  morning  fresh 
causes  would  have  precedence  over  those  which  had  been  set  for 
the  day  before,  and  thus  his  case  would  go  over  to  the  succeeding 
term  without  his  ever  having  applied  for  a  continuance. 

Now  he  came  hustling  into  the  court-room  immediately  in  the 
rear  of  the  sheriff,  and  apologized  for  the  length  of  time  he  had 
consumed  in  preparing  his  paper,  assuring  the  court  that  he  had 
no  wish  whatever  to  delay  proceedings.  He  then  read  aloud  a 
document,  which  had  been  previously  sworn  to  by  his  client,  stat 
ing  that  owing  to  the  unreasonable  excitement  and  prejudice  which 
had  been  formed  in  the  public  mind,  and  still  existed  against  the 
accused,  he  could  not  safely  go  to  trial  at  that  term  and  place  ; 
and — the  affidavit  went  on  to  say — as  it  was  impossible  to  obtain 
an  impartial  jury  in  the  county  where  the  homicide  had  been  com 
mitted,  and  as  there  was  no  likelihood  that  the  unreasonable  preju 
dice  against  the  defendant  would  soon  abate,  he  prayed  the  honor 
able  court  to  grant  him  a  change  of  venue  to  an  adjoining  county, 
where  the  citizens  were  free  from  bias  against  him. 

This  application  evidently  was  not  unexpected  to  the  attorney- 
general  and  the  young  lawyer  associated  with  him  in  the  case, 
but  it  came  as  a  complete  surprise  to  Templeton  and  Pearson 
and  the  large  number  of  witnesses  whose  attendance  they  had  la 
bored  faithfully  to  secure.  Palaver  opened  the  argument  with  a 


142  The  K.  K.  K. 

persuasive  talk  in  support  of  his  application,  and  the  attorney-gen 
eral,  when  it  came  his  turn  to  speak,  combated  the  motion  vigor 
ously.  A  large  number  of  jurors,  he  said,  had  been  summoned 
and  brought  to  court,  and  it  was  a  reflection  on  them  to  say  that 
the  prisoner  could  not  get  a  fair  trial  among  so  many.  Nu 
merous  witnesses,  too,  were  present;  all  of  whom  had  come  over 
bad  roads  in  midwinter  at  great  inconvenience  to  themselves. 
Many  of  these  witnesses  were  women,  and  it  would  be  a  hardship 
to  require  them  to  return  to  their  several  homes  and  travel  at  an 
other  time,  three  or  four  months  hence,  to  a  different  county  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  in  their  evidence.  It  was  the  third  time 
most  of  these  witnesses  had  been  compelled  to  come  to  court. 
They  had  appeared  and  testified  before  the  grand  jury;  they  had 
attended  a  second  time  when  the  case  was  continued  on  affidavit 
of  defendant's  attorney  at  the  last  term,  and  now  they  were  here 
again  under  summons  from  the  State  to  give  in  their  evidence 
against  the  prisoner.  The  case  was  one  which  had  aroused  wide 
spread  interest,  and  should  be  pushed  to  a  conclusion,  if  for  no 
other  reason,  because  certain  good  and  peaceable  citizens  in  the  lo 
cality  of  the  crime  had  upheld  the  dignity  of  the  law  and  had  in 
sisted  that  in  <the  case  of  the  prisoner  justice  should  be  admin 
istered  by  the  proper  authorities  and  not  by  mob  violence.  These 
good  citizens  had  set  a  praiseworthy  example,  and  it  would  be  a 
bitter  disappointment  to  them  now  if  it  was  demonstrated  that 
the  law  of  the  State  was  practically  incapable  of  'dealing  with 
grave  crimes  like  the  one  under  consideration. 

More  matter  of  a  weighty  nature  did  the  attorney-general  deliver 
himself  of  in  his  address  to  the  court.  Palaver  listened  gravely 
to  the  whole,  and  upon  its  conclusion  he  complimented  the  State's 
officer  privately  upon  his  able  argument,  declaring  it  was  the  best 
he  had  heard  in  many  years.  When  he  came  to  reply  publicly, 
however,,  he  said  he  was  surprised  a  man  should  want  to  take  up 
the  valuable  time  of  the  court  with  such  idle  talk  as  that  to  which 
he  had  just  listened.  The  humblest  human  being  charged  with 
crime  had  the  right  to  a  fair  trial  before  an  impartial  jury,  and  it 
was  the  duty  of  the  courts  of  the  country  to  protect  him  in  this 
right.  If  the  accused  here  had  committed  the  monstrous  crime 
laid  at  his  door  his  life  must  and  should  pay  the  penalty ;  if  he  was 
not  guilty  all  must  agree  he  should  go  free.  He  was  poor  and  a 
stranger  within  our  gates,  but  life  was  sweet  to  him,  as  it  was  to  us 
all.  He  stood  here  asking  nothing  more  than  that  the  issue  upon 


Some  Jolly  Good  Fellows  Meet  at  the  Tavern.    143 

which  his  existence  hung  should  be  decided  by  twelve  impartial 
jurors,  chosen  from  a  community  not  inflamed  by  passion  or  preju 
dice  against  him.  No  one  would  insist,  no  one  could  pretend,  that 
the  threatening  crowd  now  gathered  in  the  court-house  was  not  bit 
terly  hostile  to  the  prisoner.  A  jury  impanelled  from  this  assem 
blage,  or  from  the  citizens  of  their  county,  would  be  a  jury  im 
panelled  to  convict.  The  accused  knew  this  to  be  a  fact ;  the  sheriff 
knew  it,  the  court  knew  it,  and  the  attorneys  on  both  sides  knew 
it.  "  Why,  sir,"  cried  Palaver,  warming  up  to  his  work,  "  the 
strongest  objection  urged  by  the  attorney-general  to  my  application 
for  change  of  venue  is  that  to  grant  it  would  be  discouraging  to 
certain  peaceable  and  law-abiding  citizens,  who,  he  says,  have 
placed  my  client  in  custody  of  the  law,  and  now  look  to  the  courts 
to  have  speedy  justice  done.  As  I  understand  the  matter,  sir,  these 
peaceable  and  law-abiding  citizens,  whom  he  is  so  very  desirous 
not  to  discourage,  ran  my  client  down  with  dogs,  chased  him  round 
and  round,  sir,  like  a  rabbit,  through  a  briar  patch  and  a  broom 
sedge  field ;  popped  away  at  him  with  their  pistols  as  if  it  had 
been  fine  sport,  and  finally  were  about  to  murder  him  in  cold  blood, 
when  the  sheriff  of  the  county  luckily  came  along  and  rescued  the 
poor  fellow  from  their  clutches.  Yes,  sir;  yes,  sir;  yes,  sir;  and 
this  is  not  the  whole  story  by  any  means.  That  night,  sir,  that 
night,  if  the  honorable  court  please,  these  same  peaceable  and  law- 
abiding  citizens  followed  my  unfortunate  client  to  the  jail  of  their 
county,  and  sought  there  to  wrest  him  from  the  custody  of  the  law, 
and  end  his  life  by  their  own  violent  hands.  Not  satisfied  with 
their  first  heroic  exploit  they  came,  if  the  honorable  court  please, 
with  a  mob  at  midnight,  three  hundred  men  against  one,  with  the 
laudable  intention  of  breaking  down  the  doors  of  their  own  county 
prison  and  murdering  a  helpless  human  being  whom  they  supposed 
to  be  confined  therein.  A  second  time  they  were  foiled,  for  the 
sheriff  of  the  county,  anticipating  their  design,  had  removed  the 
prisoner  to  another  jail  for  safe  keeping.  Were  they  through, 
sir?  Were  they  through,  if  the  honorable  court  please?  No,  in 
deed,  sir.  No,  indeed,  if  the  honorable  court  please.  The  hour 
for  wreaking  their  vengeance  was  but  postponed,  for  to-day,  sir — 
to-day,  if  the  honorable  court  please — this  same  murderous  mob 
invad'es  the  sacred  precincts  of  this  temple  of  justice,  regards  my 
poor  client  with  hungry  eyes  from  behind  the  bar,  and  modestly 
asks  that  your  honor  shall  now  force  upon  him  the  mockery  of  a 
hearing  with  themselves  as  the  triers  of  the  cause.  And  who  is  it, 


144  The  K.  K.  K. 

sir,  that  heads  this  murderous  mob  and  champions  their  cause  here 
at  the  bar  of  justice?  Who  is  it,  sir,  they  have  chosen  for  their 
spokesman,  and  who  now  stands  urging  that  this  helpless  captive 
shall  be  delivered  as  a  victim  to  their  fury  ?  Strange  to  relate,  it  is 
the  attorney-general  for  the  State " 

At  this  point  Whackemall,  whose  temper  was  liable  at  any  time 
to  get  the  better  of  him,  rose,  and  with  a  voice  trembling  from 
anger,  informed  the  court  that  he  did  not  propose  to  sit  quiet  and 
listen  to  such  language  as  had  just  been  uttered  in  his  presence. 
"  If  the  prisoner's  counsel  desires  to  become  personal,"  said  he  to 
the  judge,  "  it  would  be  more  becoming  in  him  to  reserve  his  scur 
rilous  flings  till  such  time  as  they  can  be  properly  resented,  and 
not  to  indulge  in  them  here  where  he  knows  he  has  the  sheriff  to 
protect  him." 

Palaver  bowed  low  and  smiled.  "  I'll  have  the  gentleman  un 
derstand,"  he  retorted,  "  that  I  am  here  in  the  discharge  of  my 
duty,  and  that  I  do  not  propose  to  shrink  from  the  discharge  of 
that  duty  for  fear  my  remarks  may  prove  unpleasant  even  to  so 
terrible  an  adversary  as  the  attorney-general  for  the  State." 

"  And  I'll  have  you  understand "  cried  Whackemall,  rising, 

and  making  fiercely  toward  him. 

"  Order,  gentlemen,  order,"  demanded  the  court,  rapping  vigor 
ously  on  the  judicial  desk. 

"  Order,  gentlemen,  order,"  demanded  the  sheriff,  advancing, 
and  standing  between  the  two  angry  disputants. 

For  a  minute  or  two  there  was  silence,  and  the  crowd  held  its 
breath,  expecting  to  witness  a  very  exciting  performance  within 
the  bar.  Then  Palaver  spread  his  hands  to  indicate  that  his  inten 
tions  were  peaceful,  and  in  unruffled  tones  resumed  his  remarks. 
There  really  was  no  occasion,  he  said,  for  this  disturbance.  He 
had  not  said  a  word  calculated  to  wound  the  feelings  of  his  friend, 
the  attorney-general.  At  least  he  had  not  uttered  a  sentence  which 
was  intended  to  reflect  upon  him  in  the  slightest  particular.  In 
making  use  of  the  language  objected  to  he  was  not  thinking  at  all 
of  the  State's  attorney,  but  designed  his  remarks  to  apply  to  a  gang 
of  unprincipled  ruffians, — some  of  whom  he  now  saw  behind  the 
bar, — whose  conduct  in  hounding  down  the  prisoner  had  been 
cowardly,  and  barbarous,  and  far  more  worthy  of  the  savages  that 
once  trod  the  wilds  of  this  country  than  of  the  civilized  people 
who  were  supposed  to  inhabit  it  now. 

As  Palaver  uttered  these  scathing  remarks  he  turned  and  bent 


Some  Jolly  Good  Fellows  Meet  at  the  Tavern.       145 

his  gaze  fixedly  on  the  crowd  in  the  rear  of  the  court-room.  After 
a  few  moments  he  raised  his  hand  slowly  and  pointed  his  fore 
finger  toward  a  certain  corner,  thus  indicating  that  there  were  in 
dividuals  in  that  particular  quarter  to  whom  he  had  alluded  in  his 
previous  remarks,  and  whom  he  now  wished  to  hold  up  to  public 
scorn. 

"  Don't  p'int  that  finger  at  me,  old  man,"  cried  a  half -tipsy  fel 
low  from  the  proscribed  corner.  "  Ef  you  do " 

At  this  an  uproar  arose  in  the  court-room,  which  it  required  sev 
eral  minutes  of  diligent  effort  on  the  part  of  the  sheriff  and  his 
deputies  to  suppress.  The  entire  assemblage  was  evidently  at  fever 
heat,  and  the  slightest  disturbance  among  them  was  sufficient  to 
provoke  the  whole  mass  into  angry  demonstration. 


146  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THERE  BEING  UNDUE  EXCITEMENT  IN  THE  PUBLIC  MIND  A  CHANGE 

OF    VENUE    IS    GRANTED    IN    THE    ANKERSTROM     CASE AN     OLD 

FARMER   RIDES  OUT   OF  TOWN   ON   A   YOUNG   LADY'S    HORSE,   AND 
THEREBY  ADDS  TO  THE  EXCITEMENT   IN   THE  PUBLIC   MIND. 

WHETHER  Lawyer  Palaver  had  intentionally  provoked  the  dis 
turbance  that  followed  his  heated  remarks  is  a  matter  of  some 
doubt.  But  certain  it  is  that  nothing  could  have  been  better  calcu 
lated  to  further  the  purpose  he  had  in  view,  which  was  to  post 
pone  the  hearing  of  his  cause,  and  have  it  certified  to  another 
county  for  trial.  It  had  been  demonstrated  in  an  unmistakable  way 
that  the  sentiment  of  the  crowd  behind  the  bar  was  hostile  to  the 
prisoner,  and  as  this  crowd  was  composed  in  great  measure  of 
those  who  had  been  summoned  to  court  as  jurors,  it  was  evident 
that  an  impartial  jury  could  not  be  selected  from  it.  Judge  With- 
erspoon  was  a  just  man,  and  one  who  was  fearless  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duty.  As  soon  as  quiet  was  restored  in  the  court-room,  with 
out  waiting  to  hear  further  argument  on  either  side,  he  announced 
that  in  his  opinion  the  accused  could  not  in  the  then  excited  state 
of  the  public  mind  obtain  the  fair  and  impartial  trial  which  the 
law  guaranteed  to  the  humblest  citizen  charged  with  a  grave  of 
fense.  A  foul  murder  had  been  committed  in  the  county;  this 
much  there  was  no  gainsaying.  The  entire  community  had  been 
shocked  by  its  perpetration,  and  the  prejudice  against  the  prisoner 
was  strong,  for  rightly  or  wrongfully  he  was  regarded  as  the  au 
thor  of  the  crime.  Under  the  circumstances  justice  demanded  that 
he  should  be  sent  elsewhere  for  trial.  The  affidavit  filed  by  the 
prisoner's  counsel  contained  sufficient  matter  to  entitle  him  to  a 
change  of  venue,  and  the  case  would  be  transferred  to  the  neigh 
boring  county,  in  the  jail  of  which  the  prisoner  had  been  for  some 
months  confined,  and  where  it  was  hoped  there  was  no  feeling 
either  in  his  behalf  or  against  him. 

Sheriff  Sanderson,  after  the  decision  had  been  announced,  qui- 


A  Change  of  Venue.  147 

etly  withdrew  with  his  prisoner  from  the  court-house.  The  judge 
was  one  who  they  all  knew  would  uphold  at  all  hazards  the  maj 
esty  of  the  law ;  the  sheriff  was  an  officer  not  to  be  lightly  inter 
fered  with  when  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  and  so  no  effort  was 
made  to  molest  Johan  Ankerstrom  as  he  was  taken  handcuffed 
from  the  court-room  to  the  county  jail.  The  excited  crowd  dis 
persed,  at  least  left  the  building,  and  found  more  room  in  the 
yard  outside,  as  well  as  a  more  favorable  position  from  which  to 
vent  its  wrath  and  indignation.  The  more  hot-headed  among 
those  gathered  here  openly  advocated  storming  the  jail  and  cap 
turing  the  murderer  of  old  Mrs.  Bascombe  at  whatever  cost. 
Some  who  indulged  in  this  dangerous  talk  were  duly  sober,  but  the 
loudest  had  been  rendered  bold  by  intimate  association  with  John 
Barleycorn.  Pearson,  calm  and  cool  as  usual,  did  what  he  could 
to  allay  the  excitement  and  to  suppress  all  attempt  at  violence.  He 
and  his  trusted  friends  had  resolved  to  appeal  unto  Caesar,  and 
they  were  still  determined  to  work  and  wait  until  a  decree  could 
be  obtained  from  the  tribunal  whose  aid  they  had  sought.  Tem- 
pleton,  younger  and  more  hasty,  was  fast  losing  again  his  rem 
nant  of  patience,  and  had  about  reached  the  point  where  forbear 
ance  in  his  opinion  was  no  longer  a  virtue. 

"  This  is  an  outrage,"  he  cried  to  the  young  attorney  whose  ac 
quaintance  he  had  formed  the  night  before,  as  the  two  wended 
their  way  to  the  tavern  at  the  noon  recess  of  the  court.  "  It's  noth 
ing  short  of  an  outrage/'  , 

The  young  attorney  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  laughed.  He 
did  not  wish  to  take  open  issue  with  his  client,  but  it  was  evident 
he  did  not  regard  the  proceeding  as  an  outrage. 

"  Eight  months  have  passed  away  since  the  murder  of  that  good 
old  woman,"  continued  Templeton,  hotly,  u  and  yet  we  have  hardly 
advanced  a  step  toward  the  conviction  and  punishment  of  the 
scoundrel  who  slew  her." 

"  That's  a  fact,"  said  the  young  attorney. 

"  And  now  we  have  to  wait  four  months  more,  and  the  witnesses 
must  all  be  dragged  to  another  county  to  testify  after  they  have 
made  three  trips  to  their  county  seat  in  the  hope  of  being  exam 
ined  and  dismissed." 

'*  That's  true/'  said  the  young  attorney. 

"  It's  an  infernal  outrage,  that's  what  it  is,"  cried  Templeton. 

The  young  attorney  cleared  his  throat. 

"  Were  you  not  astonished  when  the  judge  rendered  his  decis 
ion  ? " 


148  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  No,"  replied  the  young  attorney,  candidly,  "  I  was  not.  The 
fact  is  Judge  Witherspoon  could  hardly  have  done  otherwise.  The 
affidavit  contained  sufficient  ground  for  continuance  and  change  of 
venue,  and  it  was  his  duty  to  grant  the  application.  He  is  a  fear 
less  and  upright  judge,  and  you  will  respect  him  highly  when  you 
know  him  as  we  do." 

Templeton  was  a  little  softened  at  this.  He  saw  his  companion 
was  minded  to  uphold  the  dignity  of  his  profession,  and  he  re 
spected  him  the  more  highly  for  it.  "  Well,"  he  continued,  "  you 
lawyers  have  your  own  way  of  looking  at  things,  but  to  me  a  pro 
ceeding  of  this  sort  seems  wholly  unjustifiable.  Twelve  just  and 
intelligent  men  could  certainly  have  been  found  in  this  county  to 
try  that  scoundrel,  and  I  cannot  see  why  the  effort  was  not  made 
to  get  them.  The  men  who  were  brought  to  court  were  for  the 
most  part  ignorant  and  prejudiced,  and  I  cannot  say  I  think  it 
would  have  been  right  to  permit  these  to  sit  on  the  prisoner's  case. 
But  why  not  have  summoned  a  number  of  the  most  intelligent  men 
in  the  county,  and  leave  the  question  of  guilt  or  innocence  to 
them?" 

"  Because  all  the  intelligent  men  in  this  small  county  have 
formed  opinions  which  would  render  them  incompetent  as  jurors. 
The  crime  was  a  most  shocking  one,  and  the  details  are  known  to 
all  your  citizens." 

"  Good  men,"  answered  Templeton,  "  can  discard  opinions 
hastily  formed,  and  being  charged  with  the  grave  responsibility 
of  trying  a  human  being  for  his  life  they  can  render  an  honest 
verdict  on  the  evidence  brought  before  them.  Such  jurors  might 
not  be  acceptable  to  guilty  men  brought  to  the  bar  of  justice,  but 
they  would  render  verdicts  that  the  community  would  respect." 

"  Maybe  so,"  answered  the  lawyer,  "  but  nevertheless  under  our 
system  they  would  not  be  competent  jurors,  for  no  one  who  has 
formed  or  expressed  an  opinion  can-  serve  on  a  jury  in  Ten 
nessee." 

"  Then  it  has  been  practically  settled  since  the  date  of  this  fel 
low's  arrest  that  he  could  not  be  tried  in  the  county  where  he  com 
mitted  the  murder.  The  crime  being  a  monstrous  one,  you  lawyers 
and  the  judge  have  known  for  months  that  he  could  not  be  made 
to  answer  for  it  here  where  all  the  facts  had  been  freely  dis 
cussed?" 

"  I  think  it  has  been  pretty  generally  understood  that  a  jury 
could  not  be  gotten  in  this  county  to  try  the  prisoner," 


A  Change  of  Venue.  149 

"  Why,  then,  did  not  the  judge  order  the  case  transferred  to  an 
other  county  as  soon  as  the  indictment  was  found  ? " 

"  Because  the  prisoner  under  our  constitution  is  entitled  to  a 
fair  trial  before  a  jury  of  the  county  where  the  crime  is  alleged 
to  have  been  committed.  He  can  waive  this  right,  but  the  judge 
cannot  take  it  away  from  him  without  his  consent." 

"  The  judge  cannot  order  a  change  of  venue  unless  the  accused 
asks  for  it?" 

"  That  is  so." 

"  Suppose  he  never  does  ask  for  it  ?  " 

"  The  judge  would  be  tempted  after  a  while  to  force  him  to 
trial  before  a  prejudiced  jury.  It's  a  dangerous  thing  to  press  the 
court  too  far." 

"  He;  can  sorely  try  the  patience  of  the  court  and  the  commu 
nity,  but  he  must  not  exhaust  it." 

The  young  attorney  laughed  again,  but  made  no  reply. 

"  Well,"  said  Templeton,  musingly,  "  if  the  judge  knew  the 
prisoner  could  not  get  a  legal  jury  in  this  county,  and  the  judge 
knew  he  could  not  of  his  own  motion  transfer  the  case  to  another 
county,  why  did  not  the  judge  order  a  jury  to  be  brought  from 
another  county  to  serve  here  ?  " 

"  That  would  have  been  in.  violation  of  the  prisoner's  constitu 
tional  right  to  a  trial  before  a  jury  of  his  own  county." 

"  That  would  have  effected  a  considerable  saving  in  the  matter 
of  public  expense.  It  would  also  have  been  a  great  favor  to  the 
witnesses  who  have  traveled  to  court  threef  time's  now,  and  who 
are  growing  wearied  of  being  dragged  about  in  this  way." 

"  Yes,  it  is  so,  but  under  our  constitution  the  plan  you  suggest 
could  not  have  been  adopted." 

"  Hum,  hum,  hum,"  pursued  Templeton,  as  they  walked  along. 
"  Let  me  get  this  thing  straight  in  my  head.  I'm  but  a  farmer, 
you  know,  and  don't  understand  the  working  of  our  system  quite 
so  well  as  you  lawyers.  If  I  commit  a  horrible  murder  in  any 
county  of  this  State,  and  am  apprehended  for  it,  first  all  the  wit- 
neses  against  me  must  be  made  to  travel  to  court  to  testify  before 
the  grand  jury." 

"  First,"  said  the  attorney,  "  they  would  perhaps  be  required  to 
appear  and  testify  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  would  bind 
you  over  to  await  the  action  of  the  grand  jury." 

"  Oh,  that's  the  beginning  point,  is  it  ?  "  said  Templeton.  "  Very 
l,  now  I  have  it.  First,  they  go  before  a  justice  of  the  peace 


ISO  The  K.  K.  K. 

and  tell  their  tale ;  then  they  wait  possibly  as  much  as  four  months, 
and  go  before  the  grand  jury  and  tell  their  tale;  then  they  wait  a 
while  longer,  and  go  before  the  court  to  tell  their  tale ;  but  here  I 
demand  that  they  all  be  made  to  go  home  and  return  later  on,  be 
cause  of  a  just  prejudice  existing  against  me  in  the  public  mind. 
Four  months  later  they  come  again,  but  now  I  demand  that  they 
all  go  home  once  more,  and  meet  me  still  four  months  later  in  an 
other  county,  because  the  just  prejudice  still  exists  against  me 
among  the  people  I  have  deeply  wronged.  There  is  no  help  for  it, 
and  judge,  witnesses,  and  all  are  compelled  to  do  my  bidding. 
After  a  while  those  summoned  to  testify  grow  weary  see-sawing 
between  their  homes  and  the  courts,  and  I  stand  an  excellent 
chance  to  escape  the  penalty  of  my  crime  altogether." 

"  Under  our  system "  began  the  attorney. 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  understand,"  interrupted  Templeton.  "  Under  our 
system  the  thing  works  out  this  way.  Under  our  system,  it  seems, 
the  good  citizen  is  not  entitled  to  any  consideration  at  all,  and  the 
scoundrel  is  entitled  to  a  great  deal.  And  the  bigger  scoundrel 
a  man  is  the  more  consideration  he  is  entitled  to.  That's  the  way 
it  looks  to  me  under  our  system." 

'''  You  are  exasperated,"  said  the  attorney,  laughing.  "  I  can't 
say  I  blame  you  much  for  feeling  as  you  do,  and  yet  the  right  of 
trial  by  jury,  and  by  a  fair  jury,  is  an  old  one.  It  descended  to  us 
from  our  ancestors,  and  all  the  prerogatives  extended  to  the  ac 
cused,  which  seem  to  you  so  absurd,  have  been  found  in  the  past 
to  be  necessary  safeguards  to  protect  the  weak  and  oppressed 
against  the  strong  and  tyrannical." 

"  All  mighty  fine,"  quoth  Templeton,  "  but  the  danger  now  is 
not  that  the  strong  and  tyrannical  will  oppress  the  weak,  but  that 
common  scoundrels  will  go  un whipped  of  justice,  and  the  commu 
nity  have  no  protection  from  their  misdeeds.  The  law  as  now  ad 
ministered,  Mr.  Lawyer,  is  too  tender  toward  villains,  and  it's  no 
wonder  honest  folks  are  fast  losing  patience  with  it." 

"  To  comprehend  any  system,"  replied  the  attorney,  "  you  must 
go  to  the  root  of  it.  At  one  time  in  England  there  was  a  disposi 
tion  on  the  part  of  the  barons  to  grind  the  commoners- " 

"  Let  me  tell  you  a  thing,  sir,"  interrupted  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Temple- 
ton,  "  that  perhaps  will  astonish  you.  The  barons  of  whom  you 
speak,  and  likewise  the  commoners,  have  been  dead  and  buried 
these  hundreds  of  years — these  hundreds  of  years — I  tell  you,  and 
you  have  no  more  right  to  weigh  us  down  with  the  pld  rules  a,nd 


A  Change  x>f  Venue.  151 

safeguards  made  to  fit  their  case  than  you  have  to  clap  on  us 
the  heavy  helmets  and  breastplates  that  must  have  made  'em 
stagger  as  they  walked." 

"  I  have  a  suggestion  to  make,"  replied  the  attorney,  "  which 
perhaps  will  induce  you  to  modify  your  views  on  this  subject." 

"  What  is  it?  "  cried  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

"  Let's  take  a  drink." 

Mr.  R.  L.  Templeton  smiled.  "  Well,"  he  remarked  to  his  com 
panion,  "  you  fellows  took  me  up  in  a  balloon  last  night,  and  I've 
been  feeling  all  morning  as  if  I'd  like  to  come  down  on  a  para 
chute." 

There  was  a  place  of  business  not  far  away  that  had  in  front 
latticed  green  doors  swinging  either  way  to  suit  the  convenience 
of  the  customer.  Taking  the  arm  of  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  the 
young  lawyer  and  he  presently  disappeared  behind  these  green 
doors,  and  further  this  deponent  saith  not. 

About  the  noon  hour  Sheriff  Sanderson,  having  partaken  of  an 
early  dinner,  set  out  with  his  prisoner  for  the  adjoining  county, 
the  jail  of  which  was  destined  to  be  the  residence  of  the  latter  at 
least  until  the  following  term  of  the  circuit  court,  some  four 
months  off.  None  but  these  two  took  the  road,  as  Sanderson  was 
satisfied  there  would  be  no  serious  attempt  to  wrest  Ankerstrom 
from  his  custody,  and  he  did  not  fear  his  escape  during  the  jour 
ney.  It  was  not  far  from  midnight  when  he  reached  his  destina 
tion  and  bade  good-by  to  his  sullen  captive,  to  whom  he  had 
shown  every  kindness  in  his  power,  for  that  was  Sanderson's 
way.  Having  again  taken  a  receipt  for  his  man  from  the  jailer, 
and  washed  his  hands  of  all  further  responsibility  as  to  his  keep 
ing,  the  sheriff  sought  a  bed  at  a  good  boarding-house  in  the 
town,  and  almost  as  soon  as  he  touched  it  dropped  into  a  sound 
sleep. 

Back  at  Ashton  the  court  ground  on  all  the  afternoon,  the  law 
yers  dull  and  listless  and  playing,  in  theatrical  parlance,  to  a  slim 
house.  A  single  deputy  was  sufficient  to  keep  order  in  court  and 
execute  the  mandates  of  the  judge,  and  he  did  not  find  his  duties 
very  fatiguing.  The  quarrel  between  Palaver  and  Whackemall, 
which  in  the  forenoon  had  looked  alarming,  was  now  healed  with 
out  much  effort.  The  two  gentlemen  laughed  over  the  matter  in 
a  back  room,  and  shook  hands  cordially  when  their  interview 
ended. 

Miss  Sue  Bascombe  had  to  do  a  little  shopping  before  sh$ 


The  K.  K.  K. 

wended  her  way  homeward,  for  country  folk  must  avail  them 
selves  of  every  occasion  that  demands  a  visit  to  town,  and  it  was 
growing  late  when  she  signified  her  willingness  to  depart.  The 
horses  of  her  party,  and  many  others,  had  been  stabled  in  a  barn 
a  little  way  off  from  the  tavern,  and  left  there  in  charge  of  the  old 
negro,  Uncle  Davy,  employed  for  the  occasion.  A  considerable 
number  still  remained,  though  a  majority  of  the  animals  had  been 
taken  away,  when  a  servant  was  sent  to  the  place  to  saddle  and 
bring  out  Dandy  Jim.  Presently  he  returned  with  the  surprising 
information  that  the  horse  had  been  already  called  for  and  carried 
off.  Supposing  there  was  some  mistake  on  the  part  of  the  old 
mar*  left  in  charge  at  the  barn,  Templeton  went  thither  and  made 
diligent  personal  search,  but  failed  to  find  the  stout  and  active 
animal  that  had  borne  Miss  Sue  to  town  that  morning.  When  a 
report  to  this  effect  reached  the  tavern  the  young  lady  herself 
visited  the  barn,  and  joined  her  anxious  inquiry  to  that  of  others 
in  endeavoring  to  ascertain  by  what  means  her  property  had  been 
disposed  of  without  her  consent.  Dandy  Jim  was  a  horse  far 
above  the  average  both  in  looks  and  qualities,  and  the  old  negro 
remembered  him  distinctly. 

"  Yas'm,"  he  said  in  response  to  Miss  Bascombe's  somewhat 
sharp  demand  for  an  explanation,  "  I  'members  dat  hoss  mighty 
well.  He  ain't  no  common  hoss,  dat  hoss  ain't,  and  hit  stands  to 
reason  dat  3  pusson  wa'n't  gwine  to  forgit  him  atter  dey  once 
seed  him.  Here  comes  a  ole  gen'lemun,  do,  treckly  atter  dinner, 
and  say  he  'bleeged  to  have  dat  hoss  fur  to  go  right  away  and  fetch 
some  witnesses  what  been  leff  behind  at  de  trial.  He  gim  me  a 
dime  fur  to  make  me  git  a  move  on  myself,  and  say  he  comin'  back 
presen'ly,  and  he  was  sich  a  honest  lookin'  ole  gen'lemun  dat,  'fo' 
God,  I  never  s'picioned  nothin'  wrong  about  him." 

"  Where  did  he -say  he  was  going?  "  inquired  Miss  Sue. 

"  He  say  he  gwine  out  atter  a  witness,  I  tell  you,  and  comin' 
back  presen'ly.  Dat's  what  he  say,  and  he  gin  me  a  paper — whar 
is  dat  paper  ?  "  And  the  old  man  began  fumbling  about  in  his 
pockets.  When  he  had  searched  there  in  vain  he  looked  in  his 
hat  and  found  a  crumpled  note,  which  he  handed  the  young  lady. 
"  Read  dat,"  he  said,  triumphantly.  "  Dat  will  'splain  de  whole 
business." 

Miss  Sue  took  the  paper  and  read  aloud  the  contents,  written 
in  a  smooth  clerkly  hand ; 


A  Change  of  Venue.  153 

"  Let  Mr.  David  Hammersmith  have  my  horse  and  Mr.  Lee 
Templeton's  saddle,  to  be  returned  without  delay. 

"  SUSAN  BASCOMBE. 
"  January  — ,  18— ." 

The  girl  turned  the  paper  over  in  her  hand  and  looked  round 
on  those  present  in  considerable  surprise.  "  Well,  did  you  ever  ?  " 
she  exclaimed.  "  Why,  I  never  signed  my  name  Susan  Bascombe 
in  my  life.  Everybody  calls  me  Sue/' 

One  part  of  this  remarkable  order  had  made  a  particular  im 
pression  on  the  mind  of  Mr.  Lee  Templeton.  The  horse  he  had 
ridden  was  a  fairly  good  one,  but  his  saddle  was  superfine.  He 
went  promptly  to  the  spot  where  it  should  have  hung  and  found 
it  missing.  Mr.  Templeton  was  generally  careful  in  the  selection 
of  words  to  express  his  ideas,  but  he  used  now  an  exclamation 
which  would  hardly  have  been  becoming  under  any  circumstances, 
and  certainly  was  not  fit  to  be  uttered  in  the  presence  of  a  lady. 

They  say  misery  loves  company,  and  when  Miss  Susan  Bas 
combe  beheld  his  rather  rueful  countenance  and  heard  the  re 
mark  he  was  surprised  into  uttering,  she  clasped  her  hands  and 
laughed  heartily. 

"  He  got  you  too,  did  he  ?  "  cried  the  young  lady. 

"  That  saddle  and  bridle  and  blanket,"  remarked  Mr.  Temple- 
ton,  not  directly  replying,  "  would  have  been  cheap  at  fifty  dol 
lars.  And  the  infernal  rascal  took  'em  all.". 

"  The  order  only  called  for  the  saddle,"  said  Miss  Sue. 

"  Can  you  read  old  man  ? "  inquired  Templeton,  turning 
abruptly  toward  the  custodian  of  his  goods. 

"  Naw,  sir,  I  can't,"  answered  the  individual  addressed.  "  But 
dar's  my  granddaughter  Meriky,  she  kin  read  right  straight 
along.  She  read  dat  paper  out  loud  to  me,  and  dat's  de  way  I 
got  de  sense  of  it.  I  kin  hear  ef  I  can't  read." 

"  Did  that  paper  say  anything  about  my  blanket  and  bridle?  " 

"  Naw,  marster,  hit  didn't ;  but  den  don't  ev'ybody  know  de  bri 
dle  and  blanket  goes  wid  de  saddle?  'Pears  to  me  any  fool  mout 
know  dat." 

Miss  Sue  still  held  the  mischief-making  paper  in  her  hand. 
Templeton  approached,  and,  standing  by  her,  read  the  contents 
for  himself.  Mr.  Randolph  Pearson  was  absent  on  some  other 
business  and  had  not  yet  been  informed  of  the  robbery,  for  such 
it  clearly  was. 


154  The  K.  K.  K. 

Miss  Sue  looked  at  Mr.  Templeton,  and  Mr.  Templeton  looked 
at  Miss  Bascombe. 

"  Dandy  Jim,"  said  the  young  lady,  "  was  one  of  the  best  horses 
in  all  this  country,  and  I'm  going  to  have  him  back  if  money  and 
friends  can  get  him  back." 

"  And  I'll  be  one  of  the  friends  to  help  bring  him  back,"  re 
plied  the  young  gentleman,  gallantly.  "  As  for  the  saddle  and  bri 
dle  and  blanket,  they  may  go  to  the  d " 

"  Dogs,"  suggested  the  young  lady. 

"That's  it,"  answered  Templeton.  "That's  the  word  I  was 
trying  to  think  of." 

"  What  sort  of  a  looking  man  was  he  now  that  brought  this  or 
der  ?  "  inquired  Miss  Bascombe  of  the  old  negro. 

"  He  was  a  farmer-like  kind  of  a  lookin'  old  man,  mistis,"  was  the 
reply,  "  and  yit  he  didn't  look  so  very  much  like  a  farmer  man 
nother.  He  had  on  a  slouch  hat,  rusty,  and  wore  out  on  de  top; 
and  he  had  on  a  pair  of  big  brown  jeans  breeches,  wid  bedtick 
galluses ;  and  he  had  on  a  shirt  widout  no  pleats  in  de  bosom ; 
and  he  had  on  a  pa'r  of  shoes  what  stood  mightily  in  need  of 
blackenin'.  All  dat,  you  may  say,  made  him  look  kinder  farmer- 
like.  But  den  his  hands,  whilst  dey  was  dirty  enough,  was  leetle 
small  hands ;  and  I  look  up  under  his  coat  sleeves  and  seed  his 
arms  was  white,  which  showed  de  sun  never  did  have  no  purchase 
on  'em.  I  sized  him  up,  I  did,  when  he  fotched  dat  paper,  and  I 
say  to  myself  dis  here  gen'lemun  is  bound  to  be  a  farmer,  and  yit, 
I  say  to  myself,  he  is  likewise  a  cur'ous  farmer." 

"  You  don't  often  see  a  farmer  who  can  write  that  sort  of  a 
hand,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  inspecting  the  paper  criti 
cally. 

Miss  Bascombe  examined  the  instrument  more  carefully  now 
for  herself.  "  A  farmer  didn't  write  that,"  she  said  emphatically. 
"  A  farmer's  fingers  would  be  too  stiff  to  do  such  neat  penman's 
work.  And  besides,"  she  added,  looking  seriously  into  Mr.  Tem- 
pleton's  face,  "  farmers  are  not  forgers  and  horse  thieves." 

"  That  is  so,"  replied  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

lt  That  is  undoubtedly  so,"  repeated  the  young  lady. 

"  What  did  the  old  gentleman,  as  you  call  him,  say  when  he 
gave  you  this  ?  "  inquired  Templeton  of  the  negro  man. 

"  He  never  hardly  open  his  mouth.  He  act  like  he  kinder  deef. 
I  b'lieve  he  was  deef,  de  way  he  done.  He  gin  me  a  dime,  I  tell 
you,  and  make  signs  for  me  to  be  in  a  hurry,  and  p'int  to  de  court- 


A  Change  of  Venue.  i5S 

house,  and  den  to  de  country,  and  say  '  vitness,  vitness/  two, 
three  times.  Den  I  knowed  he  was  atter  witnesses  fur  de  court, 
and  had  de  law  behind  him." 

"  He's  a  smooth  scoundrel,"  said  Miss  Bascombe.  "  That's  what 
he  is,  and  I  lay  he's  an  old  hand  at  this  business." 

All  this,  however,  did  not  bring  back  Dandy  Jim ;  nor  did  it  re 
place  the  saddle,  bridle,  and  blanket  of  Mr.  Robert  Lee  Temple- 
ton. 

"  What  are  we  going  to  do  now  ?  "  inquired  Miss  Sue,  in  a  per 
plexed  tone,  and  not  addressing  apparently  anybody  in  particu 
lar. 

Mr.  Templeton  for  a  moment  or  two  did  not  undertake  to  solve 
the  difficulty.  He  had  on  his  studying  cap. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Uncle  Davy,  who  wished  to  be  consoling. 
"  I  specks  de  deef  ole  gen'lemun  be  back  presn'ly." 

"  You're  a  fool,"  said  Mr.  Robert  Lee  Templeton. 

"  I  ain't  no  fool,  marster,"  replied  Uncle  Davy,  with  some  spirit, 
"  and  your  sayin'  so  don't  make  it  so,  nother." 

While  they  stood  turning  over  the  perplexing  situation  in  their 
minds  a  messenger  came  to  say  that  Pearson  had  just  heard  of 
the  robbery,  and  had  heard  the  direction  in  which  the  thief  went. 
With  three  or  four  others  he  had  started  off  post  haste  in  pur 
suit,  and  now  sent  word  to  his  friend  Templeton  to  escort  Miss 
Bascombe  home,  as  he  himself  might  not  return  before  to-morrow. 
This  commission  Templeton  cheerfully  undertook  to  execute,  and 
immediately  set  about  contriving  a  plan  by  which  it  could  be  car 
ried  out.  He  looked  at  the  young  lady,  and  the  young  lady  looked 
at  him,  and  each  for  the  moment  wore  a  rather  puzzled  ex 
pression. 

"  I  have  a  pretty  good  horse,"  said  the  young  gentleman  to  the 
young  lady. 

"  I  have  a  pretty  good  saddle,"  replied  the  young  lady  to  the 
young  gentleman. 

The  young  gentleman  here  whistled  a  little  very  softly,  not  for 
want  of  thought,  but  because  he  was  deeply  cogitating.  Then  he 
raised  his  eyes  and  gazed  upon  the  young  lady  for  a  moment. 

"  There  isn't  any  help  for  it,"  remarked  the  young  lady, 
gravely. 

Then  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  being  a  man  of  affairs,  led  forth 
his  horse — which  was  not  as  reliable  an  animal  as  the  one  he  had 
lost  some  weeks  previous — and  placed  upon  its  back  the  young 


156  The  K.  K.  K. 

lady's  side  saddle  and  buckled  the  girth  tightly,  and  took  his  watch" 
from  his  vest  pocket  and  consulted  it. 

"  It's  ten  minutes  to  four,"  remarked  Mr.  Templeton  to  the 
young  lady,  "  and  the  place  you  wish  to  reach  to-night  is  five  miles 
away.  If  we  don't  hurry  it  will  be  dark  before  we  get  there." 

Then  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  went  out  to  the  fence  a  few  yards 
away — it  was  a  tumble-down  old  rail  fence — and  climbed  upon 
it,  and  from  this  vantage  point  transferred  herself  easily  to  the 
side  saddle  when  Mr.  Templeton's  horse  was  brought  near.  The 
young  gentleman  next  climbed  upon  the  fence,  when  the  horse, 
perceiving  his  intention,  began  to  fidget  and  sidled  off  a  few  feet. 

"  I'm  not  sure  he'll  tote  double,"  remarked  Mr.  Templeton. 

"  We'll  make  him,"  replied  the  young  lady,  and  immediately 
switched  the  refractory  animal  to  its  proper  place  by  the  fence. 

Mr.  Templeton  gave  a  leap — he  had  taken  a  course  of  gymnas 
tics  at  school — and  lit  on  the  back  of  the  horse  and  behind  the 
saddle,  and  likewise  behind  the  young  lady,  who  sat  erect  in  front 
holding  the  reins  tightly.  , 

All  this  occurred  in  the  broad  open  daytime,  and  in  the  imme 
diate  presence  not  only  of  Uncle  Davy  and  his  little  granddaugh 
ter,  but  of  other  interested  spectators. 

Uncle  Davy,  when  they  set  out,  pointed  them  to  a  near  cut  by 
which  they  might  save  some  distance  and  avoid  curious  eyes  in  the 
town,  but  Miss  Sue  preferred  guiding  her  horse  down  the  main 
street,  and  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  raised  no  verbal  objection.  So 
they  journeyed,  and  soon  discovered  that  the  horse  would  tote 
double  nicely  enough.  So  they  journeyed,  and  before  a  great 
while  a  pleasant  conversation  sprang  up  between  them  to  enliven 
the  way. 

"  I'm  very  glad,"  remarked  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton — who 
usually  found  the  bright  side  of  a  situation  if  there  was  any  bright 
side — "  that  I've  got  a  good  saddle  blanket  under  me." 

"  It  is  fortunate,"  replied  the  young  lady. 

"  And  that  the  horse  will  tote  double." 

"  Very  lucky." 

"  And  that  I  have  a  nice  girl  in  the  saddle  in  front  of  me." 

"  Glad  you  think  so." 

"  Fact  is,"  said  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  "  I  feel  pleased  some 
how  right  now,  when  by  all  the  rules  of  logic  I  ought  to  feel 
wretched,  having  had  such  a  run  of  bad  luck  to-day." 

The  young  lady  did  not  reply. 


A  Change  of  Venue.  157 

"  Fact  is,"  continued  Mr.  Templeton — who  had  studied  mental 
and  moral  philosophy  at  school — "  the  human  mind  is  a  very 
curious  particle.  We  are  frequently  sad  in  the  midst  of  joyous 
surroundings,  and  often  merry  when  a  rueful  countenance  would 
more  become  us." 

"  So  I'm  told,"  replied  the  young  lady. 

At  this  point  the  horse  began  to  prick  his  ears  and  seemed  disin 
clined  to  go  by  some  object  ahead  on  the  roadside.  She  gave  him 
a  sharp  cut  to  let  him  understand  she  proposed  to  make  him  go 
by.  Not  expecting  the  application  of  the  lash  the  horse  jumped. 
Not  expecting  the  horse  to  jump  Mr.  Templeton  was  taken  un 
awares,  and  came  near  losing  his  seat  on  the  saddle  olanket.  To 
save  himself  he  threw  both  arms  about  the  lady's  waist.  The 
reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  he  was  bound  to  catch  hold  of  some 
thing,  and  there  was  nothing  else  to  catch  hold  of.  Just  as  soon 
as  he  could  he  turned  loose,  as  it  was  meet,  right  and  proper  to 
do. 

But  the  incident,  and  the  situation  generally,  stirred  the  soul  of 
the  young  man  to  its  depths.  There  is  a  species  of  intoxication  that 
cometh  not  from  strong  drink,  but  from  more  ethereal  stimulants. 
Nevertheless  it  is  intoxication,  and  those  subject  to  its  influence 
should  not  be  held  legally  responsible  for  their  words  or  conduct. 
Mr.  Templeton  recovered  his  equilibrium  upon  the  horse,  but  he 
did  not  recover  his  mental  equilibrium,  which  he  had  been  grad 
ually  losing  for  the  past  two  or  three  miles  of  his  way. 

"  You  were  speaking,"  remarked  the  young  lady  sweetly,  "  of 
the  singular  fact  that  we  sometimes  feel  pleased  and  cheerful  when 
we  have  just  met  with  misfortunes  well  calculated  to  discourage 
and  dishearten  us." 

"  I  was,"  replied  the  young  gentleman,  "  but  when  we  reflect 
upon  the  incongruity  of  such  a  state  we  usually  find  that  it  arises 
from  the  fact  that  while  annoying  accidents  have  indeed  befallen 
us,  their  consequences  are  more  than  offset  by  some  countervailing 
blessing  that  has  immediately  followed." 

"  That's  very  pretty,"  replied  the  young  lady,  "  but  I  don't  un 
derstand  you." 

"  Miss  Sue,"  remarked  the  youth  gravely  from  his  seat  on  the 
saddle  blanket,  "  you  cannot  fail  to  understand  me.  You  do  not 
need  to  be  told  that  while  the  old  judge  knocked  us  out  in  the 
court-room,  and  a  villainous  thief  served  us  just  as  badly  in  the 
stable,  these  trivial  setbacks  are  as  nothing  when  compared  with 


158  The  K.  K.  K. 

the  supreme  happiness  of  riding  close  behind  you  on  this  saddle 
blanket.  You  are  a  young  lady  of  penetration,  and  you  will  there 
fore  not  be  in  the  least  surprised  when  I  declare " 

"  Why,  ain't  you  ashamed  of  yourself  ?  "  cried  the  young  lady 
from  her  seat  in  the  saddle.  "  You  know  you're  in  love  with  Polly 
Habersham." 

"  That's  a  fact,  so  I  am,"  replied  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton 
heartily. 

And  they  changed  the  subject. 


Two  Cave-Dwellers.  159 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IN  WHICH  THE  READER  IS  INTRODUCED  TO  TWO  CAVE-DWELLERS  NOT 
OF  THE  PREHISTORIC  KIND. 

A  BLACK  fellow  sat  parching  coffee  over  a  slow  fire.  The  odor 
from  the  brown  grains  rose  and  filled  the  still,  heavy  atmosphere 
of  the  cavern  in  which  the  fire  had  been  built.  The  glare  of  the 
flame  lit  up  the  ragged  wall  around  and  showed  a  small  apartment 
nearly  circular  in  form,  not  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in 
diameter,  and  with  a  ceiling  that  dipped  on  one  side  within  five 
feet  of  the  ground  and  on  the  opposite  side  was  double  that 
height.  A  break  in  the  wall  on  the  lower  side  led  into  a  dark 
passage  without.  This  opening  was  hardly  large  enough  for  a 
stout  man  to  crawl  through.  The  interior  space  was  evidently  but 
a  niche  in  the  cavern,  which  at  the  expenditure  of  some  little  labor 
had  been  made  habitable  for  human  beings.  Fragments  of  rock 
had  been  rolled  from  the  center  of  the  open  space  and  placed 
against  the  walls.  The  floor  had  been  smoothed  down,  at  least 
to  such  extent  as  to  make  it  tolerably  good  treading  for  the  feet. 
Not  far  from  the  fire  was  a  heap  of  blankets  and  a  confused  mass 
of  straw,  whkh  manifestly  had  been  used  for  bedding.  Now  a 
pleasant-faced  white  youth  sat  on  this  heap,  hugging  his  knees 
with  his  arms  and  blinking  like  an  owl  as  he  lazily  regarded  the 
African  at  the  fire. 

"  He  stays  a  good  while,"  said  the  white  youth,  yawning,  and 
presumably  addressing  the  negro,  as  there  was  no  one  else  in  view. 

The  black  man  stirred  the  coffee,  then  took  up  the  skillet  and 
shook  it  to  keep  the  grains  from  burning.  Replacing  it  on  the 
coals  he  answered : 

"  I'll  bet  he  brings  a  good  one  when  he  comes.  Dat  ole  man's 
a  captain." 

"  If  he  does,"  replied  the  other,  "  it  will  be  more  than  you  did 
the  last  time.  That  infernal  horse  was  so  broken  winded  I  could 
hardly  get  to  the  end  of  the  first  stage  with  him.  They  let  him 


160  The  K.  K.  K. 

take  it  easy  after  that,  but  we  haven't  got  him  off  our  hands 
yet." 

"  I  was  fooled  in  dat  hoss,"  said  the  negro.  "  He  was  up- 
headed,  and  stepped  proud,  and  carried  hisself  so  grand  he  tuck 
my  eye  de  minit  I  seed  him.  I  sho  thought  he  was  wuth  a  fortune, 
but  stidder  dat  he  wa'n't  wuth  a  damn." 

At  this  the  gentleman  on  the  straw  pile  laughed.  "  You  ain't 
much  judge  of  horseflesh  no  way,  are  you,  Sam  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Naw,  I  ain't.  I  owns  to  dat.  You  see,  Mr.  Hardrider,  I'm 
new  in  dis  business.  My  main  line  has  been  crap-shootin',  and 
whilst  I  was  in  Alabam'  I  used  to  branch  off  from  dat  once  in  a 
while  and  make  a  little  money  by  gwine  into  houses  of  nights. 
But  I  got  most  too  heavy  for  dat  sort  of  business  and  had  to  quit. 
Dar  wa'n't  much  in  it  no  way.  Rich  men  put  dar  money  in  de 
bank  to  keep  from  losin'  it,  and  po'  folks  didn't  have  none  to  lose, 
so  you  got  most  as  much  out'n  one  sort  as  t'other.  Sometimes  you 
struck  a  good  watch,  but  dat  was  d — d  seldom,  and  when  you  did 
dar  wa'n't  no  way  of  gittin'  rid  of  it.  It  was  a  heap  more  liable 
to  git  you  into  trouble  dan  it  was  to  put  money  in  your  pocket.  De 
last  one  I  tuck  I  flung  in  de  creek,  but  some  boys  fished  it  out,  and 
dey  got  atter  me  so  clost  'bout  de  d — d  thing  dat  I  had  to  leave 
dem  parts,  and  I  leff  in  a  hurry.  I  come  up  here,  and  was  hard 
put  to  it  for  a  while,  but  I  accidentally  run  up  on  de  ole  man  one- 
day,  and  he  tuck  me,  and  made  a  gen'lemun  out'n  me." 

"  The  old  man's  a  trump,"  said  the  individual  in  the  straw. 

"  Dat's  what  he  is,"  answered  the  negro. 

"  He  sets  a  heap  of  store  by  that  d — d  son  of  his." 

"  Dat's  his  weakness." 

"  Like  as  not  he's  fooling  away  his  time  now  listening  to  that 
trial  in  the  court-house." 

"  Dar  ain't  gwy  to  be  no  trial." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Kase  de  ole  man  said  so  dis  mornhV.  Dat  smart  lawyer  er 
his'n  ain't  made  up  his  mind  to  go  to  de  jury  yit,  and  he  ain't  gwine 
to  de  jury  till  he  git  ready.  He  tell  de  ole  man  he  gwy  worry  de 
life  out'n  de  witnesses  travelin'  backwards  and  forwards  to  court, 
and  fust  thing  you  know  he  gwy  ketch  de  t'other  side  when  dey 
ain't  ready ;  den  he  gwy  push  a  trial  and  clear  his  man." 

"  I  wish  they'd  try  him  to-day  and  hang  him  to-morrow,"  said 
the  gentleman  in  the  straw.  "  He's  no  good,  and  the  old  man 
ain't  fit  for  business  whilst  they've  got  him  tied  up.  He's  like 


Two  Cave-Dwellers.  161 

a  cow  with  her  calf  in  the  pen ;  he  keeps  hanging  round." 

"  It's  natur',"  said  the  African. 

"  Natur'  or  not,  it's  playing  hell  with  our  business,"  replied  the 
white  man.  "  I  ought  to  have  rid  last  night,  and  my  partner,  you 
may  bet  your  life,  was  on  hand  to  meet  me  at  the  right  place,  for 
he's  the  kind  that  never  breaks  an  engagement.  He  ought  to  do 
the  riding  to-night,  and  the  next  man  to-morrow  night,  and  so 
we'd  keep  things  lively.  But  how  in  the  hell  can  we  ride  when 
we've  got  nothing  to  ride  on  ?  Everything  is  out  of  gear  because 
the  old  man  forgets  his  business,  and  goes  poking  about  after  his 
thick-skulled  son.  It  ain't  right,  I  tell  you.  The  old  man  worked 
up  this  plan  and  he  oughtn't  to  lie  down  on  us  now." 

"  It's  natur',"  repeated  the  negro.  "  Brutes  and  humans,  dey 
ain't  none  of  'em  gwine  agin  natur'." 

"  If  I  had  such  a  son,  or  such  a  brother,"  said  the  other,  "  d — n 
me,  Sam,  if  I  didn't  go  agin  natur'  one  time  and  take  him  out 
and  kill  him.  He's  the  beastliest  mortal  I  ever  heard  tell  of,  that 
fellow  Johan  is.  Look  what  he  done  the  last  time,  and  say 
whether  he  oughtn't  to  swing  for  it.  He  goes  to  a  poor  old 
woman's  house,  burns  it  to  the  ground,  knocks  her  brains  out  with 
an  ax,  and  when  another  fellow  is  took  up  for  his  devilment,  he 
jines  a  mob  and  helps  to  hang  him.  That's  what  he  does,  this 
here  precious  Jackey,  and  I  say  it  beats  the  world.  Search  the 
Scriptures,  and  you  won't  find  no  mention  of  such  a  case.  The 
Cain  and  Abel  business  wa'n't  a  patchin'  to  it." 

"  He  made  a  bad  break  and  no  mistake,"  replied  the  black  fel 
low,  heaving  the  coffee  grains  as  he  spoke  into  a  tin  pan  by  his 
side. 

"  I  should  say  so.  Them  what  has  a  mind  to  make  such  breaks 
ought  to  break  out  of  this  world  and  into  a  hotter  one.  Their 
friends  hadn't  ought  to  give  'em '  any  countenance,  and  their 
parents  hadn't  ought  to  give  'em  any  countenance.  I  ain't  no 
saint,  mind  you;  and  don't  set  myself  up  for  a  saint,  mind  you; 
but  I  don't  belong  in  the  same  world  with  this  here  Johan  Anker- 
strom.  I  know  something  about  him  outside  of  this  last  trans 
action,  and  I  tell  you  he's  a  cross  between  a  hog  and  a  dog.  When 
it  comes  to  prowling  round  at  nights  he's  a  dog,  and  he  ain't  got  no 
more  natural  affection  than  a  hog.  If  he  was  loose  and  the  old 
man  in  his  fix,  he  wouldn't  turn  over  his  hand  to  help  him  out  of 
the  scrape ;  and  like  as  not  he'd  go  to  the  hanging  when  the  wind- 
up  came  and  laugh  at  his.  daddy  dancing;  on  nothing," 


162  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  I  never  seed  him,"  answered  Sam. 

"  No,  and  you  needn't  never  want  to  see  him.  He's  just  a 
damned  stupid  brute,  not  worth  the  fee  the  meanest  shyster  of  a 
lawyer  would  charge  to  take  his  case.  You  couldn't  fit  him  for 
our  business,  no  not  in  a  thousand  years  if  he  was  in  training  the 
whole  time." 

"  Our  business  ain't  no  easy  business  to  follow,  when  you  come 
to  steddy  'bout  it,  Mr.  Hardrider,"  said  the  negro  with  some  pride. 
"  It  kinder  lifts  a  man  up,  and  makes  him  think  more  of  himself 
when  he  takes  to  such  a  bold  callin'  as  ourn." 

"  Sam,  you're  right,"  replied  Mr.  Hardrider  with  emphasis. 
''  You've  hit  the  nail  just  exactly  on  the  head.  Our  calling  is  a 
bold  calling,  as  you  say,  and  it's  a  calling  that  lifts  a  man  up,  as 
you  say.  A  gentleman  must  have  something  to  amuse  him  on  his 
way  through  the  world,  and  I  follow  this  here  calling,  Sam,  mainly 
for  the  excitement  that's  in  it.  Why,  look  a  here  now.  Back  in  the 
stable,  we'll  say,  is  a  good  horse  that's  been  took  up  just  long 
enough  to  make  him  feel  like  prancing  and  stretching  his  legs, 
and  to-night  he's  going  to  have  a  chance  to  do  both.  You  rub  him 
down,  give  him  a  good  feed  of  shelled  oats — that's  your  part  of 
the  business — and  by  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  I'm  ready  to  mount  and 
away.  Up  I  gets — you  holding  the  stirrup  for  me — and  I  sets 
out  all  by  myself  on  a  jolly  night's  ride.  I  takes  it  slow  when  I'm 
going  by  houses  where  people  live,  and  I  takes  it  fast  when  I'm  on 
a  lonesome  part  of  the  road.  If  I  meets  anybody  I  slackens  up, 
drops  my  right  hand  so  I  can  pull  my  pistol  handy,  and  rides  by 
without  saying  a  word.  If  t'other  fellow  wants  to  ask  questions  I 
stops,  mind  you,  and  answers  him  civil.  I  keeps  my  right  hand 
on  my  gun  whiles  we  are  passing  the  compliments  of  the  season, 
and  when  he's  out  of  sight  and  out  of  hearing  I  rides  like  hell. 
What  would  happen,  says  you,  if  he  was  the  sheriff  on  the  lookout 
for  me?  Why  this  would  happen,  Sammy,  and  nothing  more 
Folks  in  the  neighborhood  would  hear  shooting,  and  there'd  be  a 
dead  man  found  in  the  road  next  morning.  Meb-be  'twould  be  the 
sheriff,  meb-be  'twould  be  Mr.  Hardrider ;  all  depending — you  un 
derstand,  Sammy? — on  which  gentleman  pulled  first.  Now  ain't 
that  stimulating?  Excitement,  excitement,  my  friend,  there's  lots 
of  it  and  to  spare  in  our  business.  But  proceed,  proceed,  you 
say.  Let  us  suppose  a  pleasant  trip,  and  no  dead  man  at  all  left 
in  the  road.  Very  good.  About  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  it  was  I 
started  out,  and  shortly  after  midnight  I'm  over  the  line  in  Ken- 


Two  Cave-Dwellers.  163 

tucky.  No  damned  sheriff  or  constable  can  follow  me  over  that 
line  if  he  was  ever  so  hot  on  my  trail." 

"  W'y  not  ?  "  asked  Sam  innocently. 

"  Because  it's  the  law,"  replied  Mr.  Hardrider  gravely.  '  The 
law  is  I  can  cross  a  State  line  when  I  choose,  I  not  being  a  officer ; 
and  the  sheriff  can't  cross  a  State  line  at  all,  he  being  a 
officer.  It's  a  dead  line  for  him,  you  see,  but  not  a  dead  line  for 
me." 

"  Oh,"  replied  Sam. 

"  That's  it,"  continued  Mr.  Hardrider.  "  So  I  crosses  the  State 
line  and  takes  a  swig  at  my  bottle,  which  I  haven't  did  before, 
wishing  to  keep  my  head  clear.  To'ds  day  I  reaches  the  place 
where  the  next  man  is  waiting  for  me,  and  he  takes  the  horse  and 
hides  him  out  where  he  can  get  another  feed  and  curry  and  a 
good  day's  rest.  When  night  comes  another  gentleman  mounts 
the  horse  and  rides  him  to  another  station  where  number  three 
is  a  waiting  for  him.  Here's  another  feed  and  another  good  rest 
and  from  that  on  they  can  take  it  easy  and  ride  by  day  as  well  as 
night.  So  it  goes  until  headquarters  is  reached  and  the  horse 
is  turned  over  to  them  as  will  get  a  fair  price  for  him  on  the  open 
market." 

"  Wot  den  ?  "  inquired  Sam,  who  apparently  had  not  as  yet  been 
thoroughly  instructed  in  the  details  of  the  business  he  was  en 
gaged  in.  "  Does  dem  fellows  away  off  yander  keep  all  de 
money  dey  gits  by  de  sale  of  de  hoss,  or  does  dey  'vide  up  like 
gen'lemun  ?  " 

"  Sometimes,"  answered  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  they  give  us  a  good 
slice  out  of  the  proceeds  by  way  of  commission,  as  they  call  it. 
Sometimes,  when  they  get  hold  of  a  first-class  man  like  me,  they 
pay  him  a  salary." 

"  You  works  on  a  salary,  den  ?  " 

Mr.  Hardrider  shook  his  head.  "  Not  by  a  damned  sight,"  he 
replied  nonchalantly. 

"  Wot  den  ?  "  Sam  ventured  to  inquire,  after  waiting  some 
moments  for  his  companion  to  proceed. 

"  I'm  no  hireling,"  remarked  Mr.  Hardrider  to  the  negro.  "  By 
God,  I'm  a  gentleman." 

"  Dat's  a  fack,  Mr.  Hardrider,"  replied  Sam  with  evident  sin 
cerity  in  his  tone. 

"  If  I  was  a  damned  hireling,"  continued  Mr.  Hardrider, 
"  where  would  the  excitement  be  ?  " 


1 64  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Nowhars,"  responded  Sam,  as  he  stirred  the  coffee. 

:<  That's  it,"  said  the  gentleman  in  the  straw.  "  If  I  was  a  hire 
ling  I'd  have  to  go  where  I  was  ordered,  and  do  any  kind  of  work 
they  put  me  at.  Meb-be  'twould  be  away  off  at  t'other  end  of  the 
line  where  there's  no  excitement  at  all  to  speak  of.  As  it  is  I'm 
my  own  man,  and  I'm  right  here  in  the  thick  of  the  fray,  as  one 
might  say.  If  a  horse  is  took  anywhere  in  this  here  country,  he's 
brought  to  this  here  cave  and  stabled  and  rested  and  hid  away 
from  sight  till  the  time  comes  to  run  him  off.  Then  I  mounts  him 
as  aforesaid,  and  bids  you  and  the  old  man  good -by,  and  has  an 
all-night  time  of  it  with  that  'ere  horse." 

"  Even  down  so,"  replied  Sam. 

''  The  fellow  that  took  the  horse,  mind  you,  just  slipped  up  to 
the  stable  when  nobody  was  awake,  bridled  him,  saddled  him,  and 
led  him  off  a  piece;  then  mounted  him  and  had  him  safely  hid 
away  here  before  the  country  could  wake  up  and  give  chase. 
There  wasn't  much  excitement  about  that." 

Sam  shook  his  head. 

When  I  mount  that  'ere  horse  it's  for  an  all-night  ride,  and  it's 
when  the  hull  country  knows  that  a  horse  has  been  took.  There's 
excitement  about  that,  I  should  say." 

Sam  nodded  his  head.  He  not  only  nodded  it  to  indicate  ac 
quiescence  in  Mr.  Hardrider's  remark,  but,  his  task  being  finished, 
he  nodded  a  second  time,  and  gave  unmistakable  indications  of 
being  about  to  drop  off  to  sleep.  Mr.  Hardrider  noted  this  and 
passed  in  the  course  of  his  observations  from  dialogue  to  solil 
oquy. 

"  I'm  damned,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider,  addressing  himself,  but 
speaking  loud  enough  to  be  overheard  by  his  companion,  "  if  I 
hain't  a  mind  to  turn  honest." 

"Wot?"  cried  Sam,  sitting  bolt  upright  and  staring  at  the 
speaker  in  astonishment. 

"  I'm  a  notion,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider,  as  though  he  was  turning 
the  thing  over  in  his  mind,  "  to  git  on  the  side  of  the  law." 

"  Don't  you  never  do  it,"  cried  Sam. 

"I've  been  on  this  side,"  continued  Mr.  Hardrider,  "until  the 
edge  of  the  thing,  you  may  say,  is  kinder  wearing  off  and  the 
excitement  dying  out.  Now,  if  I  was  on  t'other  side  don't  you 
know  I  could  make  things  damned  lively  for  a  while  ?  " 

'"  Don't  you  never  do  it,"  repeated  Sam. 

"  Why  look  a  here,"  pursued  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  if  t'other  side 


Two  Cave-Dwellers.  165 

was  only  to  git  a  move  on  themselves  and  act  prompt,  same  as  we 
act  prompt,  don't  you  know  they  could  hold  a  pritty  good  hand 
with  us?  We  has  to  be  keen  and  sharp  and  always  on  the  go. 
It's  a  sleepy  old  crowd,  them  on  t'other  side." 

"  Don't  you  never  wake  'em  up !  "  exclaimed  Sam. 

"  If  I  was  on  t'other  side/'  Mr.  Hardrider  went  on,  half  solilo 
quizing  and  half  addressing  his  companion,  "  do  you  s'pose  when 
a  horse  was  took  I'd  wait  for  the  owner  to  go  hunt  up  the  sheriff, 
and  for  the  sheriff  to  ride  round  the  county  at  his  own  cost  hoping 
to  stumble  on  the  man  what  took  him?  No,  sir,  I'd  offer  a  big 
reward  in  advance,  and  I'd  give  a  permit  to  all  officers  to  follow 
and  arrest  any  suspicious  character  on  horseback  and  hold  him 
till  his  case  was  looked  into.  Then  the  man  that  took  the  horse 
wouldn't  have  much  the  start  of  them  that  was  after  him,  and 
there'd  be  a  reward  on  both  sides  to  make  the  race  lively.  The 
gentleman  in  front  would  be  riding  for  the  money  there'd  be  in 
it  to  him  if  he  got  away  safe  with  the  horse,  and  them  behind 
would  be  riding  for  the  money  there'd  be  in  it  to  them  if  they 
overtook  him." 

"  Sho-nuff,"  said  Sam. 

"  Do  you  s'pose,"  continued  Mr.  Hardrider,  following  up  his 
train  of  thought,  "  if  I  was  on  the  side  of  the  law,  and  the  man 
what  took  the  horse  was  captured  and  brought  back,  I'd  wait  a  life 
time  before  I  made  an  example  of  him  for  to  warn  others  ?  'Shaw ! 
there  ain't  no  business  in  that.  If  you're  going  to  try  a  man  what 
bucks  up  against  the  law,  try  him  quick;  if  you're  going  to  pun 
ish  him,  punish  him  quick.  Drag  him  right  to  the  front;  give 
him  his  say ;  turn  him  loose  if  he's  not  guilty,  hang  him  up  if  he's 
guilty;  that's  business." 

"  Mighty  true,"  said  Sam. 

"  Do  you  know  what  the  punishment  is  in  Tennessee  for  this 
here  trade  we're  following?"  inquired  Mr.  Hardrider  of  his 
auditor. 

The  negro  shook  his  head. 

Mr.  Hardrider  here  drew  an  imaginary  halter  around  his 
neck  and  made  believe  to  attach  it  to  some  fixed  object  above 
him. 

"  No !  "  cried  the  negro  in  considerable  trepidation. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  that's  it.  Hung  by  the  neck  until 
you're  dead,  and  may  the  Lord  have  mercy  'pon  your  soul. 
That's  the  way  the  State  of  Tennessee  treats  horse  thieves — p# 


1 66  The  K.  K.  K. 

paper.  In  fact,  mind  you,  they  mostly  go  to  jail,  fee  a  good  law 
yer  to  defend  'em,  spend  a  few  years  in  dignified  retirement,  and 
then  come  out  and  follow  their  old  trade  if  their  legs  haven't  got 
so  stiff  as  to  unfit  'em  for  it." 

The  negro  hugged  his  knees  and  gazed  in  silent  admiration  on 
his  comrade. 

"  There's  only  one  kind  of  law  down  here  in  this  country  that 
men  in  our  profession  need  to  be  afeerd  of,'7  said  Mr.  Hard- 
rider. 

"  Wot  kind  o'  law  is  dat  ?  "  inquired  Sam. 

"  Mob  law,"  replied  the  speaker. 

Sam  raised  his  hand  by  way  of  deprecation.  "  Don't  name  it, 
Mr.  Hardrider,"  he  said.  "  Dat  kind  o'  law  ain't  fitten  to  be 
named  'mongst  gentlemen." 

"  It's  like  one  of  those  Western  tornadoes,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider. 
"  It  springs  up  of  a  sudden;  wastes  its  fury  on  anything  in  its 
way,  and  dies  out  all  at  once.  Smart  folks  can  generally  dodge 
it,  but  it's  hell  on  fools." 

Sam  continued  to  shake  his  head.  "  I  wishes  to  have  nothing 
to  do  with  it,"  he  expostulated. 

;Mr.  Hardrider  pursued  his  reflections.  "  If  I  was  to  turn 
honest  now,"  he  said  to  Sam,  "  do  you  know  what  I  would 
do?" 

The  negro  shook  his  head. 

"  I'd  say  to  'em,  I  would,  let's  take  this  here  mob  law  what  goes 
too  fast,  and  this  here  court-house  law  what  travels  too  slow,  and 
roll  'em  together,  and  make  one  good  law  that  would  jog  along 
just  about  right.  Let's  have — I'd  say  to  'em  if  I  was  to  turn 
honest — a  genuine  up-to-date  law  that  won't  neither  throttle  the 
wrong  man  in  a  hurry  nor  dilly-dally  with  the  right  man  when  it 
gets  a  holt  on  him." 

"  That  kind  of  a  law,"  said  Sam,  "  would  ruin  our  busi 
ness." 

Mr.  Hardrider  arose  and  was  apparently  about  to  present  some 
new  ideas  on  the  subject  under  discussion,  when  a  low  whistle 
stole  into  the  rugged  apartment  where  the  two  men  sat. 

"  That  must  be  the  old  man,"  he  said,  addressing  the  negro. 

Without  a  word  Sam  rose,  took  up  the  lantern  but  did  not 
light  it  and  walked  rapidly  forward  in  the  darkness  toward  the 
mouth  of  the  cave.  The  white  man  remained  still  until  the  sound 
of  the  negro's  footsteps  had  died  away,  then  he  groped  his  own 


The  Cave-Dwellers.  167 

way  farther  back  into  the  interior  of  the  cave  and  secreted  him 
self  behind  some  fragments  of  rock  that  had  fallen  from  the  roof 
of  the  cavern.  He  was  quite  sure  the  sound  that  reached  his  ear 
had  come  from  one  of  his  accomplices  in  guilt,  but  much  dodging 
of  law  officers  had  made  him  wary  as  a  fox. 


168  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  EXUBERANT  FANCY  OF  SAM  QUACKENBOSS  BRINGS  HIM  INTO 
TROUBLE  ;  AND  THE  OLD  FARMER  DELIVERS  A  FREE  LECTURE  TO  A 
SELECT  AUDIENCE. 

THE  negro  made  his  way  along  the  dark  passage  with  the  unlit 
lantern  in  his  hand  until  he  heard  the  ripple  of  water  close  to  his 
feet.  It  was  absolutely  dark  in  the  cavern,  and  he  could  not  have 
detected  any  unluminous  object  within  six  inches  of  his  nose.  He 
had  proceeded  without  hesitation,  however,  throwing  out  his  hand 
now  and  then  to  feel  the  wall  on  his  left,  and  did  not  falter  until 
his  ear  caught  the  low  sound  of  running  water.  Then  he  paused, 
and  squatting  down  remained  perfectly  silent  for  a  few  moments 
and  listened.  Hearing  no  sound  he  imitated  the  harsh  chuckle  of 
a  screech  owl,  once,  twice,  thrice.  It  was  a  low  utterance,  but  one 
calculated  to  penetrate  a  good  way  in  the  dead  stillness  of  the  cave. 
Almost  at  once  the  note  was  answered  by  one  so  similar  that  the 
two  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  apart.  Once,  twice,  thrice 
came  the  chuckle  of  the  night  bird,  distinctly  heard  above  the  soft 
ripple  of  the  stream,  though  at  some  distance  away.  The  negro 
now  rose  and  lit  the  lantern  he  held  in  his  hand.  By  its  rays  the 
passage  behind  him  could  be  discerned,  a  rough  stony  track  ten 
or  fifteen  feet  in  height  and  of  about  equal  breadth.  This  passage 
here  joined  another,  from  which  the  stream  came.  It  was  winter, 
and  the  water  was  cold,  but  the  negro  without  hesitation  took  off 
his  shoes,  socks,  and  even  his  trousers,  and  leaving  these  on  the  dry 
bank  began  wading  down  the  creek,  for  the  stream  was  broad  and 
deep  enough  to  be  so  termed.  Most  of  the  way  the  water  ran 
above  his  knees,  but  at  intervals  there  were  deeper  places  where  it 
nearly  reached  his  waist.  Sometimes  the  arch  overhead  dipped 
down  so  low  as  to  almost  touch  his  head,  and  there  was  one  long 
curved  narrow  passage  through  which  the  stream  tossed  and 
swirled  in  its  anxiety  to  free  itself.  The  negro  held  his  lantern 


The  Exuberant  Fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss.     169 

high  here,  and  found  some  difficulty  in  maintaining  his  footing. 
Making  his  way  cautiously  through  this  chute  the  rays  of  his 
lantern  showed  that  the  passage  broadened  at  the  lower  end,  and 
the  stream  hugged  the  right  wall,  leaving  a  strip  of  dry  land  to 
his  left.  He  might  have  taken  his  way  now  along  this  strip  of 
ground  if  he  had  chosen,  but  he  remained  in  the  water  and  pro 
ceeded  down  the  bed  of  the  creek.  He  paused  now,  and  extin 
guished  his  lantern,  and  going  a  short  distance  farther  a  faint 
streak  of  daylight  greeted  him  from  the  mouth  of  the  cavern.  It 
was  but  a  dim  ray,  that  did  not  aid  him  any  in  finding  his  way 
along  the  bed  of  the  creek.  He  advanced  now  groping  his  course 
and  with  both  arms  extended  as  if  he  anticipated  encountering 
some  obstacle  ahead.  He  turned  a  curve  where  the  light  was  a 
little  stronger,  and  immediately  before  him  there  stood  a  horse 
with  a  man  atop  of  him.  The  horse  started  back  in  affright  when 
the  negro  came  suddenly  upon  him,  but  the  rider  patted  him  on  the 
neck  and  soothed  him  in  low  tones. 

"  Ho  t'ere.  Sho,  coot  fellow.  Don't  act  te  tarn  fool,"  said 
the  rider  caressingly.  The  negro  in  the  meanwhile  had  seized  the 
bridle  and  held  the  animal  firmly.  A  little  more  soothing,  and 
the  man  in  the  saddle  turned  the  bridle  rein  over  to  the  negro,  who 
led  the  horse  slowly  back  up  stream,  stopping  now  and  then  to 
calm  and  reassure  him.  When  they  had  gotten  beyond  the  last 
possible  glimmer  of  daylight  the  negro  halted  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream  and  lit  his  lantern.  They  proceeded  some  distance  further, 
the  animal  occasionally  snorting  and  pressing  close  upon  the  heels 
of  the  African,  as  if  relying  upon  him  now  for  protection.  When 
they  reached  the  long  narrow  chute  through  which  the  water 
swirled  and  tossed  they  came  to  a  second  halt. 

"  Has  you  got  any  liquor  ?  "  queried  the  African,  as  the  cold 
waves  splashed  about  his  bare  legs  in  midstream. 

The  man  on  the  horse  took  from  his  side  pocket  a  flask  about 
half  full  of  whisky  and  handed  it  to  his  companion.  The  negro's 
hand  trembled  as  he  grasped  the  flat  bottle  eagerly.  "  I'm  pooty 
nigh  friz,"  he  remarked,  and  then  turning  the  bottle  up  he  poured 
most  of  its  remaining  contents  down  his  throat.  As  he  stood  in 
the  narrow  way  the  lantern  lit  up  objects  about  him  very  dis 
tinctly.  The  horse  that  pressed  upon  him  bore  a  marvelous  re 
semblance  to  Miss  Sue  Bascombe's  animal,  Dandy  Jim;  the 
saddle  was  new  and  of  good  leather  and  the  rider  looked  like  an 
honest  old  farmer  who  cared  little  for  appearances. 


170  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  You'll  hatter  say  your  pra'rs  now,"  observed  the  negro,  as  he 
handed  the  nearly  empty  flask  back  to  its  owner.  The  old  farmer 
seemed  to  have  a  peculiar  way  of  saying"  his  prayers,  for  at  this 
injunction  he  stretched  himself  at  full  length,  lying  flat  on  the  ani 
mal's  back  like  a  lizard  on  a  log.  Patting  the  horse  kindly  on  the 
head  to  assure  him  that  no  harm  should  befall  him  the  negro  led 
the  animal  cautiously  up  the  stream  and  through  the  perilous 
channel.  At  one  or  two  spots  he  came  to  a  stand,  and  gave  notice 
to  the  old  farmer  to  lie  particularly  flat  before  he  ventured  on.  The 
old  farmer  fortunately  was  little  of  stature,  for  if  he  had  been  cor 
pulent  at  some  one  of  these  places  he  must  have  been  scraped  from 
the  saddle.  "  Pray  hard,  pray  hard,"  the  negro  kept  repeating, 
when  he  feared  it  would  be  a  particularly  tight  shave  for  the  horse 
and  rider  to  squeeze  themselves  through  some  low  narrow  place. 
The  old  farmer  did  not  utter  a  single  exclamation  on  this  most 
trying  part  of  his  journey.  Now  and  then  he  groaned  dismally, 
but  he  made  no  attempt  to  speak.  The  animal  beneath  him  cleared 
its  nostrils  occasionally,  but  very  softly,  as  if  it  feared  a  vigorous 
snort  might  bring  down  calamity  on  the  entire  expedition. 

"  Here  we  is,"  cried  Sam,  when  he  had  finally  reached  the  point 
where  they  could  leave  the  water  and  take  to  the  dry  land. 

"  Mine  Cot,"  exclaimed  the  old  farmer,  as  he  leaped  to  the 
ground  and  began  hopping  up  and  down  to  give  vent  to  his  ec 
stasy.  "  Ah,  mine  frient  Sam,  but  it's  a  proud  man  I  am  tis 
minit  Holy  Moses,  but  tat  vas  a  tarn  tight  squeeze.  I 
vould  not  take  such  a  ride  agin,  s'help  me,  for  all  te  cattle  in  ter 
Marrowpone  Hills." 

"  You'd  oughter  had  dis  place  in  mind  when  you  tuck  de  hoss," 
replied  Sam.  "  I  was  afeerd  once  or  twice  he  wa'n'a  gwy  squedge 
through.  Now  he's  in  here  we'll  have  to  feed  him  light,  or  we'll 
never  git  him  out." 

"  He's  a  pig  fine  horse,  dat's  a  fact,"  replied  the  old  farmer, 
whose  attention  was  now  directed  to  the  animal. 

"  Dat's  even  down  so,"  answered  Sam.  "  But  lem-me  tell  you, 
boss,  sich  hosses  wa'n't  made  to  fit  dis  place.  Whilst  we  keep 
dese  here  headquarters  we'd  oughter  confine  our  attention  mostly 
to  ponies." 

"  Ah,  but  tis  is  a  coot  horse,"  said  the  old  farmer,  taking  the 
lantern  from  the  negro  and  holding  it  up  so  he  could  examine  the 
animal  more  closely.  "  Two  huntert  tollar  is  sheep  for  him." 

The  negro  got  back  into  his  clothes  with  as  much  expedition  as 


The  Exuberant  Fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss.     171 

possible,  for  he  was  cold.  ,Then  taking  the  bridle  rein  and  lantern 
he  led  the  horse  farther  back  into  the  cave,  the  old  farmer  follow 
ing.  When  they  reached  the  opening  that  led  into  their  private 
apartment  the  old  gentleman  crawled  through  this,  the  negro 
going  onward  with  the  horse.  Presently  he  halted  and  tethered 
the  animal  at  a  broad  level  place  which  bore  evidence  of  having 
been  used  as  a  feeding  ground  before.  Going  to  some  sacks  that 
stood  at  a  little  distance  off  he  brought  about  a  half  gallon  of 
shelled  oats  in  a  small  wooden  tub,  and  then  removed  the  saddle, 
bridle  and  blanket  from  the  animal,  preparatory  to  giving  him  a 
good  rubbing  down  while  he  fed. 

Sam  was  a  pretty  good  judge  of  horseflesh,  and  as  he  pressed 
the  cloth  lightly  up  and  down  the  horse's  back  and  inspected  his 
various  good  points  with  a  critic's  eye,  he  indorsed  without  reser 
vation  the  opinion  the  old  farmer  had  expressed  in  regard  to 
him. 

"  Dis  here  is  a  good  horse,  and  no  mistake/'  said  Sam  to  him 
self,  squatting  down,  to  wipe  off  the  right  foreleg  of  the  animal. 
"  Hit's  de  very  best  hoss  we've  met  up  wid  yit  in  our  business," 
he  continued  a  moment  later,  still  addressing  himself.  As  he 
rubbed,  and  rubbed,  there  being  no  other  human  being  nigh 
to  whom  he  could  communicate  his  ideas,  he  fell  to  rumi 
nating  aloud.  "  Ef  I  owned  jess  sich  a  critter  as  dis," 
said  Sam  to  himself,  "  and  could  ride  him  'bout  anywhars 
in  de  daytime,  and  had  de  money  in  my  pocket  wot  de  owner 
of  sich  a  critter  as  dis  ought  to  have,  ef  I  didn't  cut  a  swell 
I'm  de  biggest  liar  dat  ever  opened  his  mouth.  Lord,  wouldn't 
I  cut  a  swell  wid  dis  hoss  ef  I  could  ride  him  'bout  any- 
whar's  in  de  daytime,  and  had  de  ready  money  for  to  support 
me  and  him  ?  I'd  go  back  down  yander  to  Alabam',  I  would,  and 
I'd  ride  straight  up  to  de  house  whar  dat  gal  lives,  and  I'd  holler 
loud  enough  for  to  wake  a  p'leeceman  three  squar's  off.  '  Hello,' 
I'd  say ;  '  who  keeps  house  ?  '  I'd  say.  '  Is  ev'body  dead  in  dese 
parts  ?  '  I'd  say.  Wid  dat  you  may  bet  your  bottom  dollar  dey'd 
all  come  tumblin'  to  de  do'.  Dat  gal,  Huldy,  and  all  her  little 
brudders  and  sisters,  and  her  ma,  and  her  ole  granmammy,  and 
de  brindle  dog  wid  one  eye  here  dey'd  all  come.  Den  de  ole  gran- 
mammy  she'd  kinder  shade  her  eyes  wid  one  hand  and  look  at 
me  hard  and  say,  '  Why,  hi !  ain't  that  Sam  Quackenboss  wot 
leff  dese  parts  so  sudden  last  Christmus  was  a  year  ? '  Den  I'd 
make  my  bow,  and  speak  up  to  her  jess  as  perlite  as  a  dancnV 


172  The  K.  K.  K. 

marster,  and  say,  '  No,  marm,  it  ain't/  Den  Huldy's  ma  she'd 
speak  up  and  say,  '  Go  way  fum  here.  You  tell  me  dat  ain't  Sam 
Quackenboss,  de  runaway  nigger  wot  lit  out  fum  here  last  Christ- 
mus  was  a  year?'  Den  I'd  'spond  to  her,  '  No,  marm,  it  ain't. 
Dis  here  ain't  no  runaway  nigger,  marm,  I  haves  you  understand. 
Dis  here  is  Mr.  Sam  Quackenboss  wot  taken  a  little  pledger  trip 
last  Christmus  was  a  year,  mum,  same  as  any  other  gen'lemun, 
and  wot  has  now  come  back  fur  to  pay  his  respects  to  your  darter 
Huldy,  mum,  same  as  any  other  gen'lemun.'  Wid  dat  I'd  light 
ofFn  dis  here  hoss,  and  I'd  Vance  to'ds  de  house  wid  my  hat  in 
my  hand,  a  bowin'  and  a  smilin' " 

"  Yes,  and  you'd  play  hell  too,"  said  a  voice  close  to  him,  pro 
ceeding  evidently  from  some  person  who  had  overheard  his  so 
liloquy. 

Without  a  word  Mr.  Sam  Quackenboss  dropped  his  cloth  and 
brush,  and  rushing  back  into  the  cavern  where  he  saw  a  dim  figure 
standing,  he  grappled  with  the  individual  who  had  so  suddenly 
interrupted  him,  and  by  a  dexterous  twist  of  his  right  leg  round 
that  of  the  unknown  intruder,  he  speedily  upset  him.  Having  ac 
complished  this  much  in  a  jiffy  he  placed  his  knees  on  the  arms 
of  his  prostrate  adversary,  and  gripping  him  firmly  by  the  throat 
prepared  to  throttle  him.  The  man  underneath  resisted  violently, 
and  it  chanced  in  the  struggle  that  a  ray  of  light  from  the  lantern 
fell  on  his  face.  Sam  to  his  astonishment  recognized  the  features 
of  the  friend  from  whom  he  had  not  long  since  parted  in  the  guest 
chamber,  and  springing  to  his  feet  he  cried  out  so  loud  as  to  be 
heard  at  some  distance  away : 

'  'Fo'  God,  Mr.  Hardrider,  I  didn't  know  dat  was  you." 

The  gentleman  addressed  had  risen  promptly,  but  he  was  obliged 
to  consume  some  moments  in  the  effort  to  recover  his  wind  before 
he  could  reply.  When  his  lungs  had  begun  again  to  perform  their 
natural  function  he  answered  indignantly : 

"  Next  time  you'd  better  wait  until  you  find  out  something  about 
a  fellow  before  you  try  to  kill  him." 

To  which  Sam  answered  excitedly:  "  In  jineral,  sar,  dat's  my 
rule ;  but  you  took  me  on  surprise." 

At  this  moment  the  old  farmer,  attracted  by  the  disturbance, 
appeared  on  the  scene  with  a  lantern  in  his  hand.  "  Py  Apraham 
and  Moses,"  he  cried  in  a  hoarse  whisper,  shaking  his  lantern  at 
first  one  and  then  the  other  of  the  disputants,  "  you  vill  rune  ter 
pizness,  You  vill  pring  ter  sheriff,  and  Cot  knows  vat  all,  You 


The  Exuberant  Fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss.     173 

vill  land  te  whole  posse  of  us  in  shall,  you  reckerless  pad  poys, 
you  miserable  tarn  fools.  Go  pack  to  der  place  vere  you  pelongs. 
Go  pofe  of  you  pack  right  at  vonct,  or  I  vill  discharge  you,  so  help 
me.  Dere  now ;  dere  now ;  go  pack,  goot  fellows.  Go  straight 
pack  at  onct  allretty,  and  stop  your  tarn  foolishness,  or  you  vill 
rune  te  pizness." 

They  obeyed  the  command,  and  when  the  three  men  were  seated 
in  the  guest  chamber,  as  their  private  .apartment  was  called,  the 
old  gentleman  delivered  to  his  two  juniors  a  fatherly  lecture  by 
which  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  both  profited.  "  Pizness  is  pizness," 
he  said.  "  Ven  you  go  in  a  pizness  learn  te  rules  of  tat  pizness, 
and  stick  to  te  rules  of  tat  pizness,  and  you  vill  prosper,  and  ter 
plessing  of  Cot  vill  pe  upon  you.  If  you  follow  te  auctioneer 
pizness  you  must  cry  mit  a  loud  voice  so  people  vill  hear  you. 
Dat  vay  you  prosper.  If  you  follow  te  pizness  of  taking  utter 
men's  horses  and  hiding  dem  in  a  cave,  you  must  mind  de  rule 
to  speak  low  or  dere'll  be  hell  to  pay.  No  matter  vat  your  piz 
ness,  follow  de  rules  of  tat  pizness,  and  coot  will  come  of  it  in  de 
ent.  Vatch  all  alonk  de  line,  and  make  effry  edge  cut,  so  you  vill 
haff  pig  money  pime-py.  If  you  sell  coots  make  ter  coostomer 
pay  cash  and  put  dat  cash  in  your  pocket ;  puy  te  coots  on  a  credit 
and  preak  pefore  pay  day  cumps.  Dat  vay  you  git  large  money. 
Follow  te  rules  of  your  pizness,  mine  frients,  and  keep  your  eyes 
vide  open  all  de  time." 

"  Speaking  ~of  keeping  your  eyes  open,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider, 
desiring  to  switch  the  old  man  off  upon  a  more  interesting  topic, 
"  I  saw  a  mighty  fine  horse  about  six  miles  this  side  of  Nashville 
t'other  day ;  that's  what  I  saw." 

"  Dot's  pizness,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Light  sorrel,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  medium  size,  clean  limbs, 
tail  cut  square,  looked  like  a  racer." 

"  Dot's  pizness,"  repeated  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Runs  in  a  ten-acre  lot  with  a  high  fence  round  it.  Put  in 
there  I  guess  to  let  him  play." 

"  Dot's  pizness,"  remarked  the  old  gentleman  for  the  third 
time. 

Mr.  Hardrider  having  imparted  this  piece  of  intelligence  lit  his 
pipe  and  lapsed  into  silence. 

"  Now,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "  de  kevestion  is  who  vill  git 
him  oot  of  dot  ten-acre  lot.  To  my  notion  dot  'oss  has  had  play 
sooficient  in  dot  lot." 


174  The  K.  K.  K. 

Mr.  Hardrider  smoked  on  in  silence.  Sam  likewise  held  his 
peace. 

"  I  leaf  dot  matter  to  you  two  shentlemen,"  said  the  old  man, 
"  and  I  vants  dot  'oss  in  de  stable  here  soomtime  to-morrow  night. 
A  vord  to  de  vise  is  sooficient. 

The  negro  had  produced  a  crumpled  deck  of  cards  from  his 
pocket  and  now  in  dumb  show  challenged  Mr.  Hardrider  for  a 
game.  The  white  outlaw  faced  him,  and  with  the  pipe  still  in  his 
mouth  motioned  his  companion  to  shuffle  and  deal. 

"  Pizness  is  pizness,"  continued  the  old  gentleman.  "  My 
frient  Kevackenparse,  and  my  frient  Artriter,  you  vill  go  to-mor 
row  and  stop  dot  poptail  'oss  from  playin'  in  dot  ten-acre  lot. 
Kevackenparse  vill " 

"  Call  me  Sam,"  interrupted  the  negro.  "  Ef  you  don't  leave 
off  dat  Kevackenparse  I'll  ax  de  court  to  change  my  name." 

"  Ver'  coot,  ver'  coot,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "  I  vill  call  you 
Sam,  Alabam'  Sam,  and  let  de  Kevackenparse  go  to  hell.  My 
frient  Sam  vill  git  dot  'oss  oot  of  dot  lot  and  turn  him  over  to  my 
frient  Artriter,  who  vill  fetch  him  here  and  poot  him  in  de  stable 
vere  he  pelonks.  Pime-py  next  veek  ven  de  owner  of  dot  'oss  git 
tired  lookin'  for  him  ve  vill  send  him  and  de  big  fellow  vot  shust 
come  in  off  to  de  market.  Pizness  is  pizness." 

"  Clubs  is  trumps,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider. 

"  And  it's  my  lead,"  said  Sam. 

"  Ven  dot  'oss  is  turned  over  to  Artriter,"  continued  the  old 
gentleman,  "  mine  frient  Sam  vill  stay  in  de  country  and  mix  vid 
de  peoples  a  vile.  Ve  need  vitnesses  for  de  court  as  veil  as  'osses 
for  de  market." 

"  Never  mind  about  dat,"  answered  Sam  as  he  trumped  one  of 
Mr.  Hardrider's  cards.  "  Let  de  witnesses  go." 

"  Ah,  mine  Cot,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "  I  must  not  forgit  de 
main  pizness  vot  prought  me  to  dis  tarn  Marrowpone  coontry. 
Let  de  vitnesses  go?  No,  no.  Let  de  vitnesses  go,  and  mine  shile 
in  shail?  Mine  Cot,  no." 

It  may  be  explained  here  that  the  worthy  old  gentleman,  Mr. 
Olof  Ankerstrom,  had  first  visited  the  Marrowbone  region  a  few 
months  before  in  the  hope  of  picking  up  testimony  that  would  be 
of  service  in  the  trial  of  his  son.  It  was  his  ardent  desire  to  prove 
an  alibi  for  his  son  Johan,  and  thus  demonstrate  that  he  could  not 
have  been  the  perpetrator  of  the  outrage  at  the  Bascombe  place. 
It  was  his  purpose  also  to  show  in  court  at  the  proper  time  that 


The  Exuberant  Fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss.     175 

Sandy  Kinchen  prior  to  the  outrage  had  made  criminating  state 
ments  to  his  intimates,  which  would  go  far  toward  fastening  upon 
him  the  responsibility  for  the  terrible  crime.  It  was  with  the 
view  of  hunting  up  testimony  of  this  kind — and,  it  "must  be  admit 
ted,  of  manufacturing  it  if  it  could  not  be  found  ready  made — that 
the  worthy  old  gentleman  had  shouldered  a  peddler's  pack  and 
knocked  about  for  some  weeks  in  the  locality  where  the  crime 
had  been  committed.  While  thus  engaged  it  occurred  to  him  to 
make  expenses,  and  perhaps  something  more,  by  opening  up  a 
brisk  horse-trading  business  with  some  confederates  north  of  the 
Ohio  River  who  were  upon  confidential  terms  with  him.  He 
found  the  negro  Sam  loafing  about  with  no  visible  means  of  sup 
port,  and  through  him  first  undertook  to  suborn  negro  witnesses 
to  testify  in  behalf  of  his  son  Johan  at  the  coming  trial.  Find 
ing  him  a  willing  accomplice  he  promoted  him  in  recognition  of 
his  merit,  and  made  him  a  member  of  the  horse-stealing  fraternity. 
The  negro  had  on  a  former  occasion,  when  it  suited  his  purposes 
to  absent  himself  a  while  from  society,  discovered  the  cave,  and 
waded  up  the  creek  until  he  reached  dry  ground  wnere  he  could 
go  into  camp.  He  revealed  to  the  old  gentleman  the  existence 
of  this  safe  hiding  place,  and  upon  a  more  thorough  inspection 
they  became  convinced  that  a  horse,  as  well  as  a  man,  could  explore 
the  depths  of  tne  cavern.  They  found  the  niche,  or  side  opening, 
which  Mr.  Hardrider,  a  promising  young1  scoundreel,  dubbed  "  the 
guest  chamber ;"  and  here  when  not  engaged  in  active  business 
they  ate,  slept,  played  cards,  drank  whisky,  and  sought  in  various 
other  commendable  ways  to  kill  time. 

The  existence  of  the  cave  had  of  course  been  long  known  in  the 
neighborhood,  but  no  one  prior  to  this  time  had  been  so  adven 
turous  as  to  wade  up  the  swift  cold  waters  of  the  creek  until  dry 
footing  could  again  be  found ;  and  thus  it  was  not  suspected  that 
a  snug  lurking  place  for  robbers  lay  in  the  deep  recesses  of  the  hill 
that  rose  back  of  the  opening.  Now,  schoolboys  in  summer  will 
follow  with  lighted  candles  the  labyrinths  of  the  stream,  and  point 
you,  if  you  be  bold  enough  to  accompany  them,  to  the  very  spot 
where  old  Ankerstrom,  the  negro  Sam,  and  Mr.  Hardrider  sat  in 
frequent  council,  and  planned  raids  upon  the  stables  and  horse 
pastures  in  the  vicinity.  Some  stubborn  people  insist  even  yet 
that  no  horse  of  ordinary  size  could  be  led  along  the  narrow 
channel  through  which  the  stream  flows,  but  in  reply  it  is  only 
necessary  for  me  to  state  that  Sam  Quackenboss  did  lead  many 


176  The  K.  K.  K. 

horses  to  stable  by  this  route,  and  this,  I  am  sure,  with  rea 
sonable  people  will  be  sufficient  to  silence  all  controversy  on  the 
subject. 

"  Sam,"  said  the  old  gentleman  after  watching  the  game  for 
some  moments  in  silence,  "  pass  me  dot  plack  pottle.  Somehow 
I  half  dot  lonezome  feel  to-night." 

The  request  having  been  complied  with,  the  old  gentleman  took 
an  absent-minded  potation  and  returned  the  bottle.  "  Dem  vit- 
nesses,  dem  vitnesses,"  he  said.  "  Somehow  or  nutter,  Sam,  I 
haff  dem  vitnesses  upon  my  mind  to-night." 

"  You  needn't ;"  replied  the  negro.  "  I  kin  git  you  all  de  wit 
nesses  you  want,  but  dat  old  lawyer  won't  let  'em  go  'pon  de 
stand." 

"  Ve  vill  fool  him,  Sam ;  and  make  him  pleive  day  swear 
trute." 

"  You  can't  fool  dat  old  man.  I'm  afeerd  to  try  it.  He'll  twist 
honest  testimony  into  all  kind  of  shapes  when  he  stands  befo'  de 
jury,  but  he  won't  tech  no  bogus  testimony.  Dat  goes  agin  his 
stomach." 

"  Pass  me  dot  plack  pottle  agin,  Sam,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 
Having  taken  a  second  drink  more  copious  than  the  first  he  corked 
the  bottle  and  sat  it  down  beside  him.  The  liquor  seemed  to 
depress  his  spirits,  for  he  began  soon  to  shake  his  head  and  hold 
forth  in  a  melancholy  way. 

"  Mine  shile,  mine  poor  shile  in  de  shail.  De  tarn  lawyer  took 
my  money,  and  vill  not  let  de  vitnesses  speak  vot  vould  set  mine 
shile  free.  He  haff  my  money,  and  vill  not  vork  for  my  money; 
dot  is  not  pizness.  Oh,  mine  Cot,  dese  lawyers,  tese  lawyers,  tese 
tarn  rascakly  lawyers.  Tis  man  Perlaffer,  Sam,  he  is  one  tarn 
scer-roundrel." 

"  You  and  him  for  dat,"  replied  the  negro.  "  I  ain't  gwy  fool 
wid  him." 

"  He  take  my  money  to  free  my  shile,"  continued  the  old  man, 
"  but  do  he  free  my  shile?  Mine  Cot,  no.  My  money  in  his 
pocket,  and  mine  shile  in  de  shail ;  dot  is  not  pizness.  Pime-py, 
he  say  to  me,  pime-py  your  shile  be  free  as  te  pird  dat  fly,  and  fly, 
and  light  vere  he  tarn  please.  Pime-py,  pime-py.  Mine  Cot, 
I  haff  vait,  and  vait,  and  pime-py  haff  not  come  allretty.  De 
vitness  for  to  hang  your  shile,  he  say,  vill  not  pe  on  hand  next 
time.  Mine  Cot,  ven  de  next  time  come  de  tarn  vitness  he  is  on 
hand.  Pass  me  te  pottle,  Sammy." 


The  Exuberant  Fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss. 

"  Pass  him  the  jug,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider.  "  Let  him  fill  up 
and  be  done  with  it." 

"  Dar's  de  bottle  right  by  you,"  said  Sam.     "  Help  yourself." 

The  old  gentleman  again  raised  the  black  bottle  to  his  mouth 
and  swallowed  a  liberal  portion  of  its  contents.  When  he  had  re 
placed  it  by  his  side  he  eyed  the  card-players  for  a  few  moments  in 
silence,  then  he  accosted  them  with  an  air  of  half-tipsy  grav 
ity: 

"  Shentlemen,  I  vish  to  say  something." 

"  Say  on,"  replied  Mr.  Hardrider.  "  Two  and  two,  and  my 
deal,  Sam." 

"  Shentlemen,"  continued  the  old  man,  "  dere  is  a  person  in  dis 
country  vot  makes  himself  too  busy  vid  vot  don't  concern  him. 
His  name  is — ah — his  name  is — ah — Perryerson.  Vot  you 
call?" 

"  Pearson,"  said  Sam.  "  Ran  Pearson,  dey  calls  him.  He  got 
a  pooty  good  'oss,  but  de  stable  do'  is  double  locked,  and  dar's  a 
bull  dog  dat  prowls  round  de  place  constant.  I  trumps  dat  ace, 
sho." 

"  Tarn  te  'oss,  and  te  pull  tog,  and  te  ace,"  said  the  old  gentle 
man. 

"  Wot  den  ?  "  inquired  Sam. 

"  Dis  man — vot  you  call  ? — Perryerson,  he  too  tarn  busy  vid  vat 
don't  concern  him.  He  haff  de  vitnesses  at  coort  de  last  time,  he 
vill  haff  dem  dere  de  next  time.  My  lawyer  say  no,  I  say  yes. 
Py  te  plood  of  te  prophets,  I  say  yes.  He  vill  haff  te  vitnesses  on 
hand,  dis  man  Perryerson.  Mark  dat,  Sammy.  Mark  dat,  Artri- 
ter.  Tis  man  vill  fetch  vitnesses  to  de  coort  to  hang  mine  shile. 
He  is  a  tarn  scer-roundrel." 

"  Meb-be  so,"  replied  Sam. 

"  I  vish  he  vos  dead,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Amen,"  cried  Mr.  Hardrider. 

"  Shentlemen,"  continued  the  old  man,  regarding  the  two 
gamblers  more  narrowly  than  might  have  been  expected  from  one 
in  his  seemingly  inebriated  condition,  "  if  dis  man  Perryerson 
vould  mind  his  own  pizness  my  shile  vould  pe  free  terreckerly. 
Tink  of  dat." 

The  two  men  played  on  in  silence. 

"  If  he  vos  tead,"  the  old  gentleman  went  on,  "  mine  poor  shile 
vould  pe  free  terreckerly.  Mjne  shile,  mine  shile,  he  vould  pe 
free  as  te  'appy  pird." 


178  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Won't  clo,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider.  "  I'm  in  the  horse-trading 
business." 

"  I've  tried  my  hand  at  fust  one  thing  and  den  anudder,"  said 
Sam,  "  but  I  never  has  kilt  anybody  yit." 

"  Dot  is  right,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "  Stick  to  dat,  mine 
frients,  and  you  vill  pe  angels  pime-py,  mebbe." 

As  it  was  now  growing  late  the  old  gentleman  laid  himself  down 
upon  a  blanket  spread  a  little  way  off  from  the  fire  and  fell  asleep. 
A  clear  conscience  and  good  digestion  are  excellent  aids  to 
slumber,  and  it  is  to  be  presumed  the  old  gentleman  possessed  both 
of  these,  for  he  soon  began  to  snore  vigorously. 

Mr.  Hardrider  and  the  negro  played  on  with  varying  luck  until 
past  midnight.  Sometimes  they  were  intent  upon  the  game,  some 
times  they  allowed  themselves  to  be  beguiled  into  conversation  on 
miscellaneous  topics.  They  arranged  the  details  of  the  following 
day's  expedition  by  which  it  was  hoped  to  bring  the  slim  race  horse 
to  comfortable  quarters  in  the  cavern,  where  he  might  keep  com 
pany  with  Dandy  Jim.  They  touched  once  or  twice  on  the  subject 
which  the  old  gentleman  had  last  introduced,  but  this  in  very  low 
tones  for  fear  his  snoring  might  be  simulated.  When  they  at  last 
abandoned  the  game  the  negro  was  a  few  dollars  ahead,  and  Mr. 
Hardrider  a  little  worse  off  pecuniarily  than  when  they  began  to 
finger  the  cards.  He  was  naturally  light-hearted,  though,  and  it 
would  have  taken  a  very  heavy  and  persistent  run  of  ill  luck  to 
depress  him. 

"  Damn  the  difference,"  he  said  to  Sam  before  retiring.  "  I 
just  play  anyhow  for  the  excitement  of  the  thing." 

"  Me  too,"  replied  Sam,  tying  the  evening's  winnings  up  care 
fully  in  a  rag. 

"  I  never  tried  life  in  a  cave  until  I  was  sent  down  here  to  help 
out  the  old  man,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  and  I  find  it  lonesome  as 
the  devil.  I've  read  '  Jack  Sheppard  '  through  three  times  in  the 
last  week.  If  I  stay  here  much  longer  I'm  going  to  get  me  up  a 
library." 

"  Dat's  past  me,"  replied  the  negro ;  "  I  can't  read." 

"  I  ain't  even  allowed  to  sing,"  continued  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  for 
fear  the  sheriff  will  come  in  to  listen.  All  I  can  do  for  amusement 
is  to  play  cards,  and  somehow  I  have  hard  luck  at  that.  If  I  play 
with  you  you  make  a  pretty  good  hole  in  my  pile ;  if  I  play  with 
the  old  man  he  takes  it  all." 

"  Luck  will  change,  luck  will  change,"  answered  Sam,  striving 
to  comfort  his  friend, 


The  Exuberant  Fancy  of  Sam  Quackenboss. 

"Oh,  damn  the  odds,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider  cheerfully.  "It 
would  all  go  in  a  lifetime  anyway.  Old  Vanderbilt  had  to  leave 
the  world,  and  didn't  take  a  dollar  with  him.  Rain,  shine,  good 
luck,  bad  luck — 'twill  all  go  in  a  lifetime,  Sam." 

With  this  cheerful  reflection  the  young  horse-trader  untied  his 
shoes  and  laid  down  to  rest.  Sam  followed  his  example,  stretch 
ing  himself  at  length  oh  a  different  pallet.  They  too  must  have 
been  favored  with  sound  digestion  and  clear  consciences,  for  soon 
they  were  wrapt  in  deep  sleep,  and  nothing  disturbed  the  silence 
of  the  cavern  but  the  snoring  of  the  old  man  and  the  occasional 
stamping  of  Dandy  Jim  as  he  pined  in  his  rather  lonely  stable. 


iSo  Ine  K.  R.  K. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  OLD  FARMER  ATTENDS  A  BUSINESS  MEETING  OF  THE  K.  K.  K., 
AND  HEARS  SOMETHING  NOT  TO  HIS  ADVANTAGE. 

THE  fox  that  hid  in  the  cedars  on  Dead  Man's  Knob  was  dis 
turbed  by  another  gathering  of  human  creatures  at  that  secluded 
spot.  Again  the  Grand  Cyclops  donned  his  ghostly  robe;  again 
some  applicant  for  admission  into  the  klan  stood  before  him  and 
the  mummery  of  initiation  was  gone  through  with.  But  the  klan 
had  business  of  more  importance  than  the  mere  admission  of  new 
members  into  a  society  which  was  already  sufficiently  large  to  ac 
complish  the  purpose  for  which  it  had  been  organized.  To-night 
the  grave  question  to  be  discussed  and  decided  was  whether  the 
time  had  arrived  when  the  midnight  murderer  of  a  good  old 
woman  in  their  midst  should  be  taken  by  force  or  stratagem  from 
the  authorities  and  held  to  account  for  his  monstrous  crime. 
Nearly  a  year  had  elapsed  since  the  flames  from  the  burning  Bas- 
combe  home  lit  up  the  sky  and  the  neighborhood  about  the  place. 
A  full  year  would  have  elapsed  before  the  brute  who  committed 
a  cruel  and  causeless  murder  there  couid  be  arraigned  to  answer 
for  his  deed.  More  than  this,  after  three  times  visiting  their 
county  seat  to  testify  against  him  the  witnesses  familiar  with  the 
facts  must  now  be  dragged  to  another  county  town — a  full  day's 
journey  from  their  homes — before  they  could  be  heard  to  tell  their 
plain  tale  in  court.  That  there  should  be  indignation  among  the 
good  folk  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills  was  natural.  That  they 
should  fail  to  understand  why  the  authorities  proceeded  at  a  snail's 
pace  to  bring  a  heartless  scoundrel  to  settlement,  and  apparently 
befriended  him  in  his  effort  to  shirk  investigation,  was  natural. 
The  blood  of  old  Granny  Bascombe  cried  aloud  from  the  stained 
earth  for  vengeance,  and  good  men  and  women  fretted  over  the 
fact  that  it  had  cried  so  long  in  vain.  Good  men  and  women 
fretted  over  the  fact  till  wrath  and  indignation  took  possession  of 
the  community,  and  many  there  were  who  censured  the  secret  or- 


The  Old  Farmer  at  a  Meeting  of  the  K.  K.  K.     181 

ganization  that  had  been  instrumental  in  snatching  a  murderer 
from  the  hands  of  those  who  would  have  visited  swift  punishment 
upon  him  and  placing  him  in  a  situation  where,  they  were  con 
vinced,  not  even  tardy  justice  would  ever  reach  him.  That  such 
an  organization  existed  in  the  community  was  well  understood, 
though  the  individuals  that  composed  it,  its  meeting  place,  and 
even  its  objects  and  purposes  were  altogether  conjectural. 

Again  the  circle  was  formed  on  Dead  Man's  Knob,  and  when  a 
few  novitiates  had  been  duly  installed  members,  the  tall  Grand 
Cyclops  announced  that  the  Ulema,  or  court  of  the  order,  would 
convene.  The  three  judges  gravely  took  their  seats  on  the  flat 
stone  against  the  bluff  and  listened  to  arguments  and  appeals  for 
action  in  the  case  of  the  murderer,  Johan  Ankerstrom,  alias 
Cross-eyed  Jack. 

Many  members  addressed  the  court,  some  in  a  rambling  way, 
some  much  to  the  point.  All  the  speakers  without  exception  urged 
that  something  must  be  done.  Even  those  who  at  the  last  meeting 
had  advised  against  interference  with  the  public  authorities  now 
admitted  that  the  limit  of  patience  had  been  passed,  and  that 
if  the  murderer  could  be  wrested  from  the  jail  where  he  lay  he 
should  be  brought  at  once  before  the  klan  for  trial. 

The  Grand  Cyclops,  whose  appropriate  figure  and  grave  deport 
ment  had  made  him  the  head  of  the  order,  delivered  on  this  occa 
sion  a  few  impressive  remarks.  The  objects  of  the  order,  he  re 
minded  the  august  tribunal  before  him,  were  threefold.  First,  by 
promptly  taking  charge  of  persons  suspected  of  grave  crimes  to 
prevent  mob  law,  which  from  excitement  and  lack  of  method  often 
punished  the  innocent,  and  which  tended  to  encourage  rather  than 
check  those  prone  to  disorderly  acts.  Secondly,  to  turn  these  sus 
pected  persons  when  arrested  promptly  over  to  the  authorities,  and 
to  aid  the  authorities  in  bringing  them  to  speedy  hearing  so  that 
justice  in  each  case  might  be  promptly  and  openly  done.  Thirdly, 
where  the  authorities  failed,  after  reasonable  time  had  been  al 
lowed  to  bring  any  offender  to  open  trial,  then  the  klan  should  re 
sume  its  control  over  such  offender  and  deal  with  him  as  right 
and  justice  might  demand.  These  objects,  said  the  Grand  Cyclops, 
addressing  the  Dreadful  Ulema,  were  all  such  as  law-abiding  citi 
zens  could  not  fail  to  approve  of.  Rash  and  furious  mob  law, 
striking  blindly  after  a  grave  crime  had  been  committed,  could  not 
be  justified  by  any  right-thinking  persons.  In  a  community  where 
there  were  court-houses  and  courts,  the  opportunity  to  deal  with 


182  The  K.  K.  K. 

flagrant  offenders  should  always  be  given  the  public  authorities 
before  outsiders  would  be  justified  in  interfering.  But  crime  must 
be  punished,  society  must  be  protected,  old  women  and  young  girls 
must  be  allowed  to  retire  to  rest  at  night  without  fear  of  molesta 
tion.  If  the  proper  authorities  could  not  afford  the  necessary  pro 
tection,  good  citizens  must  band  together  to  aid  the  authorities; 
and  if  aid  was  not  sufficient  to  attain  the  desired  end  then  good  cit 
izens  must  assume  the  entire  responsibility,  and  by  punishing 
guilty  persons  protect  themselves  and  their  neighbors  from  further 
outrages.  The  time  had  now  come,  the  Grand  Cyclops  maintained 
when  the  klan  having  relied  on  the  law  long  enough  should  re 
sume  charge  of  this  man,  Ankerstrom,  and  administer  justice  to 
him.  He  had  not  given  the  poor  old  woman  whom  he  roused  at 
midnight  time  to  say  her  prayers  before  he  murdered  her.  The 
klan  should  not  follow  such  a  ruthless  example  as  that,  but  the 
good  people  of  the  vicinity  should  be  given  to  understand  that  if 
there  was  not  strength  enough  in  the  courts  to  punish  such  mon 
strous  crimes,  there  was  strength  enough  in  a  voluntary  society, 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  peace  and  good  order  in 
the  community.  It  was  preposterous  to  say  time  enough  had  not 
been  allowed  for  the  courts  to  make  a  thorough  investigation  of 
the  grave  case  before  them.  The  speaker  knew  nothing  of  the 
technicalities  of  the  law,  but  taking  a  common-sense  view  of  the 
matter  he  would  say  that  where  monstrous  crimes  were  committed 
prompt  trial  and  punishment  must  follow,  or  the  whole  effect  of 
visiting  the  consequences  of  crime  on  the  offender  would  be  lost. 
The  law  as  now  administered  was  certainly  a  failure.  Maybe  it 
was  nobody's  fault,  but  the  fact  was  the  law  was  a  failure,  and  the 
question  remained  as  to  whether  there  was  any  power  anywhere 
to  punish  crime. 

The  Grand  Cyclops,  a  plain  young  farmer,  undoubtedly  voiced 
the  sentiment  of  those  present  when  he  urged  that  speedy  action  be 
taken  in  the  Ankerstrom  case,  and  that  the  courts  should  be  no 
longer  relied  on  to  deal  with  the  murderer.  Others  followed  along 
the  same  line,  and  Teddy  Mclntosh  spoke  vehemently  as  usual. 

"  Why,  look  a  here,"  Teddy  argued,  "  are  we  ever  going  to  do 
anything  about  this  business  or  not?  If  we  are  it's  time  we  were 
about  it;  if  we  ain't  let's  disband  and  go  home.  What  have  we 
done  since  we  organized  this  klan  to  right  things  about  here? 
What  have  we  done,  most  Dreadful  Ulema,  what  have  we  done? 
We've  trapesed  around  over  the  country  in  our  shirt  tails,  so  to 


The  Old  Farmer  at  a  Meeting  of  the  K.  K.  K.     183 

speak,  and  skeered  a  few  niggers  out  of  their  wits,  but  have  we  put 
a  stop  to  the  villainy  that's  going  on  around  us  ?  When  was  there 
ever  such  a  state  of  affairs  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills  as  there  is 
right  now?  A  good  horse  stolen  on  court  day  right  under  the 
nose  of  the  judge,  and  Billy  Metcalf 's  fine  race  horse  took  out  of 
his  lot  one  night  last  week.  This  together  with  a  whole  lot  of 
other  devilment  not  worth  while  to  name.  What  are  we  going  to 
do  about  it  ?  Why,  if  it  please  the  Dreadful  Ulema,  the  lawyers 
and  the  judges  in  the  court-house  couldn't  dilly-dally  worse  than 
we've  done.  This  is  putting  it  pretty  strong  I  know,  but  I  leave  it 
to  all  the  members  of  this  klan  if  I  ain't  right?  We  banked  a 
heap  on  mystery  when  we  first  organized.  This  Brotherhood  was 
to  be  so  secret, .and  keep  things  so  dark,  that  everybody  around 
would  stand  in  awe,  and  folks  would  only  know  there  was  such 
a  society  as  ours  when  they  found  the  mighty  things  we'd  done. 
Well,  sirs,  now  how  does  the  matter  stand  ?  Which  side  has  got 
the  mystery  with  it,  if  you  come  to  mystery  ?  A  horse  took  in  the 
broad  open  daytime,  not  two  hundred  yards  from  the  court-house, 
with  court  in  session  and  a  thousand  folks  in  town.  Who  took 
that  horse,  and  where  was  he  carried  to?  Smuggled  out  of  the 
country  by  some  sort  of  hocus  pocus,  and  the  smartest  man  in  the 
Marrowbone  Hills  couldn't  say  when  or  how.  They  waylaid  the 
roads,  and  the  horses  hadn't  left  by  any  road.  They  sent  off  tele 
grams,  and  the  horse  hadn't  been  seen  at  any  of  the  places  where 
a  thief  would  have  been  likely  to  take  him.  So  it  is  with  Billy 
Metcalf 's  race  nag.  We've  scoured  the  country  up  and  down,  far 
and  wide,  and  if  that  critter  is  on  top  of  the  ground  we  can't  find 
him.  One  thing  is  certain,  though.  One  thing  is  certain.  The 
scamps  that  are  putting  up  jobs  like  this  ain't  much  afraid  of  the 
law.  They  ain't  much  afraid  of  any  kind  of  law.  Court-house 
law,  and  K.  K.  K.  law,  they  snap  their  fingers  at  all  of  it.  It's  time 
somebody  was  hung,  I  tell  you.  It's  time  somebody's  neck  was 
pulled.  If  we  get  the  right  man,  amen ;  if  we  get  the  wrong  man, 
better  than  nobody  at  all.  Why,  look  a  here.  I  slept  last  night  in 
my  stable  loft.  What  for?  Because  I  didn't  want  my  saddle 
horse  took,  that's  why.  He's  a  good  horse ;  sire,  Autocrat ;  grand 
sire,  imported  Imp ;  got  a  pedigree  long  as  my  arm,  and  I  couldn't 
afford  to  have  him  took.  That's  the  reason  I  slept  in  my  stable 
loft  with  a  shotgun  for  company.  I'll  tell  you  another  thing  too. 
If  a  horse  thief  had  come  about  my  stable  neither  them  fellows  at 
the  court-house  nor  this  here  Dreadful  Ulema  would  have  been 


1 84  The  K.  K.  K. 

bothered  with  his  case.  Not  bothered  at  all,  gentlemen;  not 
bothered  at  all,  I  give  you  my  word.  Look  at  old  Granny  Bas- 
combe's  case  too,  will  you?  Good  old  woman,  kind-hearted  old 
woman,  Christian  woman.  Knocked  in  the  head  like  a  dog,  and 
everybody  knows  who  killed  her.  How  long  has  it  been  since  she 
was  knocked  in  the  head,  and  everybody  knowin'  who  killed  her? 
Close  on  to  a  year.  What's  been  done  about  it?  Not  a  thing  in 
the  world.  First  a  whole  lot  of  witnesses,  young  and  old,  men  and 
women,  sick  folks  and  well  folks,  had  to  go  before  the  grand  jury. 
So  far,  so  good.  Next  the  same  crowd,  young  and  old,  men  and 
women,  sick  and  well,  had  to  march  back  to  court  to  tend  the  trial. 
They  laid  the  case  over  to  next  term.  Too  much  excitement,  they 
said.  Oh  yes,  too  much  excitement.  Cross-eyed  Jack  couldn't 
be  tried  while  excitement  was  up ;  not  by  no  means.  So  they  laid 
the  case  over,  and  one  more  time  everybody,  young  and  old,  men 
and  women,  sick  and  well,  had  to  trapes  to  town  to  tend  court. 
What  then  ?  Was  they  allowed  to  tell  their  tales  and  git  back  to 
their  homes  ?  Oh  no,  by  no  means.  Excitement  being  still  up,  the 
case  must  be  laid  over  again,  and  not  only  so  but  set  for  trial  next 
time  in  another  far-away  county  where  it'll  be  hard  to  get  the  wit 
nesses  to  tend.  Nobody  in  all  this  here  county  fit'n'  to  set  on  the 
case  of  Cross-eyed  Jack.  He  must  be  tried  in  a  dead  calm,  and 
before  strangers,  if  his  lawyer  ever  makes  up  his  mind  to  have  a 
trial  at  all,  which  ain't  likely.  Well,  I  don't  know  how  it  is  with 
this  here  Dreadful  Ulema,  and  the  balance  of  you  fellows,  but  I'm 
tired.  Some'pn'  ought  to  be  done,  and  I'll  just  be  dad  burned, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  if  I  haven't  got  to  the  p'int  where  I'm  ready 
to  say  somep'n's  got  to  be  done.  This  here  klan  was  got  up  to 
help  out  the  courts,  and  it  looks  like  some  other  kind  of  a  klan  will 
have  to  be  got  up  to  help  out  this  here  klan,  and  this  here  Dreadful 
Ulema.  Nobody  in  all  this  here  county  good  enough  to  try  Cross 
eyed  Jack ;  oh  no,  nobody  at  all.  And  this  here  klan,  and  this 
here  Dreadful  Ulema,  they  ain't  ready  to  take  up  the  case  of  Cross 
eyed  Jack  as  yet.  Oh  no,  we  must  wait,  wait,  wait.  Cross-eyed 
Jack  is  a  gentleman  of  such  quality  that  he  can  only  be  tried  in  a 
dead  calm,  and  before  strangers,  and  when  he's  ready.  We've 
waited  a  year,  but  that  don't  matter.  We  must  wait  another  year, 
and  if  that  ain't  sufficient  we  must  wait  his  convenience.  Well,  I 
for  one  am  tired  of  waiting,  and  I'm  ready  to  take  up  the  case  right 
here,  right  now.  I  want  to  see  the  case  of  Cross-eyed  Jack,  alias 
Dutch  Ankers,  alias  all-round  infernal  scoundrel,  go  off  the  docket. 


The  Old  Farmer  at  a  Meeting  of  the  K.  K.  K.     185 

I  want  to  give  him  a  free  pass  to  another  world  right  away.  I'd 
rather  send  him  off  by  the  rope  route,  but  if  that  can't  be  done  then 
by  the  pistol  route,  and  if  we  can't  fix  it  any  other  way  I'm  willing 
to  hire  the  jail  cook  to  pizen  him.  I  tell  you  I  mean  business  about 
this  thing.  It's  come  to  the  pass  in  this  country  that  rascals  don't 
fear  the  law,  and  honest  folks  don't  depend  on  the  law,  and  that's 
a  bad  state  of  affairs.  It's  a  bad  state  of  affairs,  I  tell  you,  and 
some'pn'  ought  to  be  done  about  it,  and  done  quick." 

No  stenographer  was  present  to  take  down  the  scattering  re 
marks  of  Mclntosh,  but  the  above  will  give  a  pretty  accurate  idea 
of  what  he  said  and  how  he  said  it.  On  the  whole  he  voiced  the 
sentiment  of  his  brother  members,  though  many  of  them  would 
have  expressed  themselves  in  a  different  way.  The  Ulema,  or 
high  court  of  the  order,  however,  still  operated  as  a  check  upon  the 
more  impulsive  members  of  the  clan.  Pearson,  after  listening 
calmly  to  all  that  had  been  said,  declared  gravely  that  while  the 
procrastinating  methods  of  the  law  were  exasperating,  the  time  had 
not  yet  arrived  when  violent  interference  with  its  process  would  be 
justifiable.  In  the  opinion  of  himself  and  the  two  other  members 
who  constituted  the  judicial  tribunal  of  the  order,  to  take  a  man  by 
force  from  the  custody  of  the  civil  authorities,  and  deal  with  him 
for  his  transgression,  was  a  very  serious  step  that  would  only  be 
justifiable  in  an  extreme  case.  The  speaker  did  not  deny  that  per 
haps  it  would  have  been  better  not  to  have  delivered  Ankerstrom 
to  the  custody  of  the  law.  The  accidental  presence  of  the  sheriff 
partly  occasioned  this,  and  the  speaker  himself  had  favored  it  at  the 
time,  but  possibly  in  the  case  of  so  flagrant  an  offender  it  might 
have  been  better  if  the  klan  had  dealt  with  him  as  he  deserved. 
Now,  however,  the  situation  was  changed,  and  no  violent  action 
should  be  taken  on  the  part  of  the  order  as  long  as  there  was  hope 
that  justice  would  be  administered  through  the  courts.  Especially 
at  this  time,  Pearson  insisted,  it  would  be  unwise  to  interfere  be 
cause  there  was  every  assurance  that  the  accused  after  long  delay 
would  be  forced  to  trial  at  the  next  term.  The  State's  attorney  had 
avowed  that  there  was  no  legal  quibble  by  which  a  hearing  could 
be  postponed  beyond  the  next  term,  and  the  judge  had  practically 
so  announced  from  the  bench  when  the  change  of  venue  was 
granted.  Therefore  the  duty  of  the  brotherhood  was  to  exert 
every  effort  and  have  all  the  witnesses  present  when  the  court  as 
sembled.  When  the  case  was  heard  in  open  court  the  facts  on 
both  sides  would  be  brought  out,  and  the  members  of  the  Ulema, 


1 86  The  K.  K.  K. 

being  present,  could  then  for  themselves  determine  whether  the 
accused  had  any  sort  of  defense  to  the  grave  charge  against  him. 
If  he  had  none  then  no  technicalities  of  the  law  would  be  per 
mitted  to  shield  him  from  punishment  or  to  put  off  much  longer 
the  hour  when  he  must  pay  the  penalty  of  his  crime.  Under  the 
circumstances  the  order  must  wait  patiently  and  give  the  law  one 
more  chance.  If  there  was  interference  now  it  would  be  said 
that  the  court  was  just  about  to  dispose  of  the  case  when  the 
mob  took  the  matter  out  of  its  hands. 

"  What  if  there's  another  postponement  instead  of  a  trial  ?  " 
asked  a  member  of  the  brotherhood  when  Pearson  had  an 
nounced  his  decision. 

"  We  will  then  meet  and  determine  what  is  our  duty,"  was  the 
calm  response. 

When  this  matter  was  disposed  of  the  Ulema  adjourned  and 
a  discussion  followed  upon  the  mysterious  disappearance  of 
horses  from  the  community,  which  had  become  of  frequent  occur 
rence  lately.  The  puzzling  thing  about  these  robberies  was  that 
no  man  could  tell  to  what  part  of  the  country  the  animals  were 
taken,  or  how  they  were  gotten  without  detection  out  of  the 
neighborhood  where  they  were  known.  None  but  good  animals 
were  taken,  and  the  thieves  seemed  to  be  operating  upon  a  prear 
ranged  plan  that  baffled  the  authorities,  and  even  the  members  of 
the  order.  Upon  the  subject  of  these  depredations  Pearson  ex 
pressed  his  opinion. 

"  It  is  quite  evident,"  he  said,  "  that  this  is  not  the  work  of 
negroes ;  at  least  that  negroes  are  not  planning  and  managing  this 
systematic  scheme  by  which  our  best  horses  are  being  secretly 
run  out  of  the  country.  It  is  evident  also  that  this  is  not  the 
work  of  common  clumsy  thieves.  So  far  we  have  made  little 
progress  toward  discovering  the  perpetrators  of  these  frequent 
crimes,  but  we  have  one  clue  that  followed  up  may  lead  to  impor 
tant  disclosures.  At  our  last  meeting  several  members  spoke  of 
the  presence  of  an  old  jewelry  peddler  in  this  locality  whose  con 
duct  was  thought  to  be  suspicious.  It  was  an  old  white  man 
claiming  to  be  a  book  agent  that  stole  Templeton's  horse  from 
Major  Habersham's  stable.  He  seems  to  have  had  a  negro  part 
ner,  but  it  was  the  old  white  man  that  put  up  the  job.  It  was  an 
old  white  man  claiming  to  be  a  farmer  that  stole  Miss  Sue  Bas- 
combe's  horse  at  the  last  term  of  the  court.  These  three  indi 
viduals  were  all  foreigners,  all  getting  along  in  years,  all  slick 


The  Old  Farmer  at  a  Meeting  of  the  K.  K.  K.     187 

scoundrels,  and  I  am  convinced  they  were  all  one  and  the  same 
person.  The  thing  to  do  is  to  catch  the  old  scoundrel,  who  has 
many  disguises,  and  who  seems  to  be  in  hiding  round  here  some 
where." 

"  And  the  next  thing  to  do  is  to  hang  him  to  a  limb,"  inter 
rupted  Teddy  Mclntosh. 

"  If  we  catch  him,"  answered  Templeton,  "  I  will  agree  with 
you  that  he  should  first  be  brought  before  the  klan  and  his  sub 
sequent  disposition  then  determined." 

"  No  court-house  law  for  him,"  said  Mclntosh. 

"  We'll  deal  with  him  promptly ;  I  promise  you  that,"  was  the 
reply.  "  But  the  first  thing  to  do  is-  to  catch  him.  Now,  I'm  con 
vinced  this  gang  of  scoundrels  has  a  regular  hiding  place  some 
where  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  and  that  this  hiding  place  is 
sufficient  in  size  to  secrete  both  horses  and  thieves  after  a  robbery- 
has  been  committed.  They  keep  the  horses  hidden  here  until 
we  have  quit  searching  for  them,  and  then  they  slip  them  off 
quietly  to  some  distant  market  and  sell  them.  This  old  jewelry 
peddler  who  plays  farmer  and  Bible  agent,  and  who  is  sharp 
enough  to  fool  Lee  Templeton  and  Uncle  Davy,  is  the  head  of  the 
gang,  and  by  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  we  can  catch  him.  Let 
every  member  then  keep  his  eyes  and  ears  open,  and  let  the  Grand 
Cyclops  appoint  some  of  our  men  to  watch  the  roads  every  night. 
A  dozen  good  men  can  watch  almost  as  many  different  roads,  and 
we  can  take  it  turn  about  discharging  this  duty." 

"  I  say,"  remarked  Mr.  Teddy  Mclntosh,  rising  to  address  the 
assemblage,  "  if  I  lay  hands  on  this  here  old  jewelry  peddler, 
Bible  agent  and  farmer,  there'll  be  no  courts  for  him,  and  no 
Dreadful  Ulema,  neither.  I'll  save  all  that  trouble,  I  will." 

"  No,"  replied  Pearson,  "  you  must  not  do  anything  against  the 
rules  of  the  order.  If  you  catch  him  bring  him  to  us,  and  we'll 
deal  with  him  promptly.  Have  no  fear  of  that." 

"  No  more  courts  ?  "  asked  Teddy  dubiously. 

"  Bring  him  before  the  klan ;  an  hour  or  two  will  be  all  the 
time  needed  to  look  into  his  case.  If  his  guilt  is  clear,  and  the 
klan  says  so,  we'll  make  an  example  of  him.  Desperate  diseases 
require  desperate  remedies." 

"  That's  the  talk,"  replied  Mr.  Mclntosh.  "  Proceed  on  that 
line,  and  we'll  stick  to  you." 

The  members  of  the  K.  K.  K.  quietly  dispersed,  each  going  his 
separate  way,  and  the  stillness  of  night  again  reigned  on  Dead 


1 88  The  K.  K.  K. 

Man's  Knob.  When  all  had  dispersed,  and  a  half  hour  had 
passed  without  sign  or  sound  from  any  creature,  a  human  being 
crawled  from  the  dense  thicket  of  cedars  and  stepping  softly 
across  the  open  space  took  his  seat  on  the  flat  stone  where  the 
members  of  the  Ulema  had  sat.  He  was  of  diminutive  stature 
and  alerb-  in  his  movements,  though  even  in  the  misty  starlight 
gray  hair  could  be  seen  straggling  from  beneath  his  close  black 
cap.  He  sat  on  the  stone  a  while  shaking  his  head  and  gesticu 
lating  with  his  hands  as  he  muttered  in  an  undertone  to  him 
self. 

"  Von  hour,  hah  ?  Von  hour  vill  be  sufficient,  hah  ?  Mep-pe 
so,  mep-pe  so.  Ven  dey  gits  te  ole  man  dey  vill  make  short  vork 
vid  him.  Hah,  yes,  yes,  yes;  no  toubt.  Ven  dey  gits  him,  ven 
dey  gits  him." 

He  gesticulated  a  few  moments  in  silence,  shaking  his  head 
vehemently  .the  while. 

"  Tat  m-an  Perryerson  is  te  pig  tog.  Te  oders  is  leetle  bups, 
shust  leetle  bups.  Ven  Perryerson  go,  te  whole  tarn  pizness  go. 
Shust  von  hour  for  te  ole  man — ven  dey  gits  him.  Veil,  veil ; 
veil,  veil.  Mep-pe  pime-py  terreckerly  dey  vill  git  him." 

There  came  a  slight  disturbance,  perhaps  from  some  night 
prowling  animal,  and  the  old  man  slipped  softly  away  from  the 
stone  and  was  gone.  His  retreating  footsteps  gave  back  no 
sound  as  he  picked  his  way  in  the  darkness  down  the  steep  side  of 
Dead  Man's  Knob. 


An  Exciting  Adventure.  189 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  EXCITING  ADVENTURE  OF  SAM  QUACKENBOSS  AND  MR.   HARD- 
RIDER  WITH  TWO  HOBGOBLINS  ON  THE  HIGHWAY. 

SAM  QUACKENBOSS  curried  the  race  horse  down,  while  Mr. 
Hardrider  sat  on  the  ground  near  by  nursing  his  knees  and  re 
garding  the  labor  of  the  African  with  satisfaction. 

"  Touch  him  up  a  little  under  his  flank,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider. 

"Dat's  a  ticklish  place,"  answered  Sam.  "  Dis  here  hoss  is  high- 
mettled.  I  lay  he  kin  outrun  a  skeered  deer,  and  I  know  he  kin 
kick  high,  bekase  he  done  flung  his  legs  a  time  or  two  at  me.  I 
dunno  how  I'm  gwy  keep  company  wid  you  to-night  nohow.  De 
yudder  hoss  is  a  saddler;  holds  his  head  high  and  moves  stiddy. 
Dis  here  nag  have  got  three  pooty  good  gaits,  and  dat's  all.  He 
kin  walk  springy,  he  kin  lope  kinder  like  a  rabbit,  and  he  kin  run 
like  hell.  Dat's  him." 

"  I'll  make  him  go  all  three  of  his  gaits  to-night,"  said  Mr. 
Hardrider,  "  so  put  him  in  good  trim." 

"  Ain't  I  doin'  it  ?  "  answered  Sam.  "  But  don't  you  lope  off 
and  leave  me  to-night.  I  axes  dat  much  of  you  right  now.  De 
ole  man  he  kinder  got  me  out'n  my  line,  but  still  I'm  gwy  'bey 
orders.  My  line  is  to  curry  and  feed  and  git  pervisions  by  fust 
one  play  and  then  anoder.  I  kin  open  a  stable  do',  and  lead  a 
hoss  out  too.  Dat's  in  my  line.  And  I  kin  climb  up  on  de  hoss 
and  ride  him  to  dis  here  place,  and  tole  him  up  de  creek  ef  he's  a 
notion  to  hang  back.  All  dat  I  kin  do.  Rubbin'  and  curryin'  is 
in  my  line.  Short  rides  is  in  my  line.  Wadin'  de  creek  is  in  my 
line.  But  dese  here  all-night  trips  astraddle  of  a  lively  hoss,  dat 
ain't  in  my  line.  Dat  ain't  in  my  line,  mind  you,  Mr.  Hardrider, 
but  de  ole  man  say  so,  and  I'm  gwine." 

"  The  old  man's  badly  rattled,"  said  the  white  robber.  "  I 
never  seen  him  in  such  a  fix  as  he  was  last  night." 

"  Dis  mornin'  you  better  say.  'Twa'n't  lackin'  much  of  day,  I 
tell  you,  when  he  come  in.  He  was  dead  tired  too,  like  he  been 


190  The  K.  K.  K. 

runnin'  most  of  de  way  from  somewhars.  He  never  even  took 
off  his  breeches  when  he  wade  de  creek,  but  come  in  de  guest 
chamber  wet  as  a  rat  and  all  in  a  fume.  He  shuck  me,  he  did, 
and  say,  '  Vake  up,  vake  up,  Sammy,  tere's  hell  to  pay.'  I  done 
heerd  him  a  comin',  so  I  riz,  and  sot  up,  and  ax  him  for  to  'splain 
hisself.  He  flourish  wid  his  hands  like  he  always  do,  and  say, 
'  Git  te  tarn  'osses  retty,  and  move  vid  tern  from  tis  tarn  ole  in  te 
ground.'  I  say,  '  When  ?  Right  now  ? '  He  stamp  his  foot  and 
say,  '  To-night,  to-night,  you  tarn  fool.  Tell  Artriter.  You  and 
him  git  retty.  Ve  must  move ;  ve  can  not  vait.'  I  say,  '  What's 
up  ? '  He  say,  '  Pime-py  I  tell  you.  You  and  Artriter  git  retty 
to  take  avay  te  tarn  'osses.'  Wid  dat  he  tumble  down  on  his  pal 
let  and  cuss  a  while  and  fidget  a  while,  and  den  he  fall  fast 
asleep ;  and  he  ain't  gwy  wake  up  till  I  gits  breakfast  and  shakes 
him." 

"  Well,"  muttered  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  I  don't  know  what's  up, 
but  I  know  I'm  damned  glad  to  get  orders  to  move.  I've  lived  in 
here  so  long  I  feel  like  a  mole.  I  blink  like  an  owl  when  daylight 
strikes  me.  I  shouldn't  wronder  if  we  had  fun  to-night,  Sam,  and 
I  hope  we  will.  Anything  for  excitement.  Maybe  I'll  pass  in 
my  checks,  and  have  done  with  this  here  cross-grained  world  be 
fore  the  stars  quit  shining  to-night,  but  damn  the  odds.  Sooner 
or  later  I've  got  to  go,  and  so  it  don't  matter  much  when.  Give 
me  excitement  while  I  live,  that's  my  motto,  Sam." 

"  S'pos'n'  dey  nabs  us?  "  said  the  negro. 

Mr.  Hardrider  rose  to  his  feet  and  slapped  himself  upon  the 
breast.  "  Here's  a  gentleman  they'll  never  nab,"  he  remarked  to 
Sam. 

"  Me  nuther,  den,"  replied  Sam.  "  But  look  a  here,  Mr.  Hard- 
rider,  don't  you  never  leave  me.  You  rides  de  race  horse,  mind 
you,  and  I  rides  de  saddler.  Whatsomever  comes  don't  you  leave 
me." 

"  Wouldn't  that  be  ungentlemanly  ?  "  inquired  the  gallant  high 
wayman. 

M  Yas,  sir,  'twould." 

"If  it  comes  to  a  tussle  wouldn't  there  be  more  excitement  in 
staying  than  running  away  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  dar  would." 

"  Then  count  on  my  staying  by  you,"  replied  the  gallant  high 
wayman.  "  I'm  not  the  man  to  do  an  ungentlemanly  act,  and  I 
long  for  excitement." 


An  Excitihg  Adventure.  191 

The  most  exciting  thing  immediately  ahead  was  breakfast,  and 
to  this  the  two  cave  dwellers  were  soon  applying  themselves  with 
relish.  Sam  was  a  good  commissary,  and  when  he  had  the  whole 
country  to  fall  back  on,  and  as  a  rule  nothing  to  pay,  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  inform  the  reader  that  he  kept  a  well-stocked  table. 
Fried  chicken,  potatoes,  hot  corn  bread,  and  coffee  are  ever  wel 
come  to  the  hungry  soul,  and  Mr.  Hardrider  and  Sam  did  ample 
justice  to  these  satisfying  edibles.  When  they  had  finished,  Sam, 
being  a  prudent  housekeeper,  raked  up  the  chicken  feathers  and 
consumed  them  in  the  fire.  "  No  use  to  leave  no  signs,"  he  said 
to  his  companion.  "  When  we  all  gits  away  from  here  what 
chickens  we  hain't  et  up  I'm  gwy  turn  loose  in  de  woods.  I'm 
gwy  scrape  dis  here  guest  chamber  so  cleun  that  a  pusson  s'archin' 
round  atter  we  done  gone  would  think  somebody  had  got  up  a 
dance  in  here.  Dar  is  always  folks,  you  know,  gwine  way  back 
under  de  ground,  and  fiddlin',  and  gittin'  up  dances." 

"  Next  time  I  dance,  please  God,"  said  Mr.  Hardrider,  "  I  hope 
to  dance  on  a  floor  with  a  fine  chandelier  overhead,  and  plenty  of 
fresh  air  coming  in  at  the  windows.  Don't  talk  to  me  about  go 
ing  away  back  under  the  ground  and  lighting  a  candle  to  dance 
by." 

"  Still  dey  is  folks  what  does  dat,"  said  Sam,  "  and  I'm  gwy 
fix  things  in  here  so  if  anybody  else  finds  de  place  they'll  think 
picnickers  been  round.  Dey  never  will  s'picion  dat  horse-traders 
been  usin'  dis  for  dar  headquarters.  I  can't  clean  up  all  de 
signs  and  smooth  over  all  de  ground  so  as  to  make  like  nobody 
been  in  here ;  but  I  kin  fix  it  so  as  to  make  like  picnickers  been  in 
here.  I  kin  clear  out  all  de  horse-tradin'  signs,  and  I'm  gwy 
do  it." 

The  old  gentleman  slept  well.  He  did  not  stir  until  nearly  mid 
day,  and  would  not  have  roused  then  if  Sam  had  not  given  him  a 
vigorous  shake  and  told  him  breakfast  was  ready.  He  rose 
briskly  at  this  and  gulped  down  his  coffee  and  bolted  his  food 
as  if  he  had  fasted  for  many  hours.  When  he  was  through  he 
entered  at  once  upon  the  subject  uppermost  in  his  mind. 

"  Git  retty,  Sammy,  git  retty.  You  and  Artriter  must  git  avay. 
Ah,  mine  Cot,  yes,  yes,  ve  can  stay  no  lonker.  Ve  must  leave  te 
tarn  place.  Ven  you  gone  I  go  too.  Pe  sure,  pe  sure,  I  vill  not 
stay  by  mineself.  Shust  a  little  vile,  tat's  all." 

"  What's  to  pay  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Hardrider. 

"Te  tevil's  to  pay,   tat's  all,"  answered  the  old  gentleman. 


192  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  Vat  to  pay,  you  say  ?  Veil,  I  tells  you.  Last  night  I  vent  to  te 
meetin'  uff  te  Kukerklux." 

"  Done  which  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Hardrider,  in  some  surprise. 

"  Vent  to  te  meetin'  uff  te  Kukerklux.  I  haff  shined  te  pand 
vot  dey  call  te  Kukerlux,  and  last  night  I  vent  to  te  meetin'.  I 
vos  dere  allretty  befo'  te  oders,  and  stayed  till  te  oders  left,  so  I'fe 
cot  te  whole  tarn  thing.  Te  Kukerklux  tomfoolery  doin's  I  kin  tell 
it  all  to  you,  s'help  me,  but  I  haff  not  time.  I  haff  time  to  tell  you 
vone  things,  and  I  will  tell  you  tat.  Listen  to  me  speak,  for  meppe 
you  vould  like  to  hear  my  vorts.  Vot  I  zay  ten?  I  zay  tis,  and 
you  mind  my  vords,  Artriter ;  you  mind  my  vords,  Sam  Kervack- 
enparse." 

"  Don't  call  me  dat,"  remonstrated  Sam.  "  You  hurts  my  feel 
ings." 

"  Ver'  coot,  ver'  coot  ten ;  I  vill  not  hurt  your  veelings.  I  vill 
tell  te  tale,  and  hurt  no  shentleman's  veelings.  I  vill  speak  plain 
so  any  tarn  fool  can  understand.  I  vill  speak  plain,  hah.  Veil 
den  last  night,  you  understand,  I  vent  to  te  meetin'  of  te  tarn  Ku 
kerlux,  vat  you  call.  I  vent  early  so  to  git  a  coot  place.  I  hid 
in  te  pushes.  I  lay  me  flat  same  as  von  tarn  ground  skeverrel  on 
te  fence  rail,  hah.  Pime-py  terreckerly  here  tey  come ;  vone,  two, 
teventy,  fivty.  Te  shentleman,  te  coot  man  vot  you  call  Perryer- 
son,  he  te  pig  tog.  Te  palance  is  little  bups,  shust  leetle  bups. 
Tey  park,  and  park,  but  it  signify  noting.  Te  shentleman,  te 
coot  man  Perryerson,  he  up  and  tell  dem  somedings.  He  zay,  te 
coot  man  do,  dat  dere  is  von  ole  man  in  tese  parts  vat  need  to  be 
enkevired  uff.  Tis  ole  man  sell  Piples,  and  steal  'osses ;  tat's  me. 
Tis  ole  man  vot  he  speak  uff  likewise  tress  like  te  farmer,  and 
steal  'osses ;  tat's  me.  Ven  dey  gits  te  ole  man  vot  is  me  tey  vill 
srving  him  to  te  limb  in  vone  hour ;  tat's  vat  tey  say.  No  courts 
for  te  ole  man ;  no  shury  fur  him.  No  lawyer  fur  to  plead  his 
case.  Ven  they  gits  him,  mind  you,  he  srvings  like  a  tog; 
srvings  like  a  tarn  tog;  ven  tey  gits  him.  Shust  so,  shust  so. 
Veil,  veil,  no  matter  fur  tat.  Te  coot  man  Perryerson  likewise 
zay  tere  is  von  tarn  nigger  vot  keep  company  vid  te  ole  man. 
Ven  tey  gits  tis  nigger  vot  vill  tey  do  to  him  ?  Tey  vill  skint  him 
alive,  so  te  coot  man  Perryerson  zay." 

"Name  o'  -de  Lord !  "  ejaculated  Sam. 

"  Te  name  o'-  te  Lord  vill  not  safe  te  nigger  ven  tey  gits  him, 
and  te  coot  man  Perryerson  zay  he  vill  haff  tat  nigger  tead  ur 
He  vant  tat  nigger  uxspecial,  te  coot  man  Perryerson  do, 


An  Exciting  Adventure.  193 

Ah,  he  is  a  coot  man,  he  is  a  ferry  coot  man,  tis  Perryerson  shen- 
tlemun.  Vere  is  te  plack  pottle  ?  I  vill  trink  to  his  helt.  I  vill, 
s'help  me." 

They  passed  the  black  bottle  to  the  old  gentleman  and  he  raised 
it  to  his  mouth.  "  May  he  lift  long  and  perrosper,  tis  coot  man 
Perryerson,"  he  said  before  refreshing  himself. 

"  May  he  go  to  the  devil  this  week,"  interrupted  Mr.  Hard- 
rider. 

*"  Amen  to  dat,"  proclaimed  Sam. 

The  old  gentleman  shook  his  head.  "  He  is  a  coot  man,  tis 
Perryerson.  But  listen  vat  furder  he  zay.  He  zay  tey  haff  vatch 
at  te  wrong  time.  Tey  vatch  too  kervick.  Te  ole  man  vot  tey 
vill  hang  to  te  limb,  and  te  tarn  nigger  vat  tey  vill  skint  alife,  and 
te  oder  vite  man  vot  is  vuss  tan  all " 

"  Did  they  name  me  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Hardrider,  with  some 
anxiety  in  his  tone. 

"  Tey  name  no  names,"  replied  the  old  gentleman.  "  But  tey 
say  te  robbers  keep  'osses  hid  someveres  for  von  veek,  two  veek, 
till  te  beoble  stop  luking;  ten  tey  run  te  'osses  avay,  clean  avay 
from  te  coontry.  Tat  vat  tey  zay.  And  tey  zay  tey  vill  bekin 
right  avay  and  vatch  all  te  roads  all  te  time,  so  tat  no  man  git 
avay  vid  a  'oss.  Tey  zay  tey  vill  vind  te  ten  uf  te  robbers,  vich 
tey  know  to  pe  in  te  Marrowpone  Tils.  Tey  vill  vatch  all  te  roads 
all  te  time.  Tey  vill  hang  to  te  tree  te  ole  man  vot  sell  Piples ;  tey 
vill  skint  te  tarn  nigger  alife ;  and  vat  tey  vill  do  to  te  udder  vite 
man  vill  pe  vuss  tan  all.  So  poys,  luke  out." 

Mr.  Hardrider  drew  all  the  loads  from  his  pistol  and  supplied 
the  cylinders  with  fresh  cartridges.  He  packed  up  his  belongings 
in  a  small  bundle,  and  made  ready  to  leave  the  country  for  an 
indefinite  period.  When  he  had  completed  his  arrangements  for 
departure  he  laid  down  on  the  ground  close  to  the  lantern  and 
fell  to  reading  "  The  Life  and  Adventures  of  Jack  Sheppard," 
with  which  thrilling  romance  he  entertained  himself  for  nearly 
the  entire  remainder  of  the  day. 

The  old  gentleman  stirred  about  a  good  deal.  He  and  Sam  hid 
in  the  depths  of  the  cavern  many  tell-tale  articles  which  they  did 
not  wish  to  destroy,  and  which  could  not  be  conveniently  carried 
away.  All  signs  of  recent  occupation  were  obliterated  as  care 
fully  as  possible.  It  was  understood  that  the  old  gentleman  would 
remain  in  the  vicinity  a  day  or  two  longer,  so  as  to  catch  any 
fresh  news  that  was  stirring,  and  then  would  meet  his  friends  at 
13 


194  The  K.  K.  K. 

a  designated  spot  in  another  State,  where  the  business  of  the  sea 
son  would  be  wound  up  by  a  fair  settlement.  The  old  gentle 
man  seemed  to  be  somewhat  moody  over  leaving  his  apartments, 
and  indulged  but  little  more  in  conversation  during  the  day.  Once 
when  he  and  the  negro  had  sat  down  on  the  ground  for  a  resting 
spell  he  remarked  gravely  to  the  latter  after  a  considerable  interval 
of  silence: 

"  Sam,  tat  man  Perryerson  is  a  coot  man." 

The  negro  nodded,  but  made  no  verbal  response. 

"  May  he  liff  long  and  perrosper,"  continued  the  old  gentle 
man. 

The  negro  nodded  again. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock  by  Mr.  Hardrider's  accurate  time 
keeper  when  he  and  Sam  Quackenboss  made  ready  to  mount  and 
set  off  for  distant  parts.  The  old  gentleman  accompanied  them 
as  far  as  the  bank  of  the  stream,  where  he  gave  them  his  blessing 
and  let  them  go.  The  negro  here  took  off  all  his  clothing  except 
his  hat,  which  Mr.  Hardrider  advised  him  to  keep  on  for  appear 
ance'  sake.  Strapping  his  raiment  firmly  to  the  saddle  he  led 
the  larger  horse  by  the  bridle,  holding  a  lantern  in  his  right 
hand.  The  white  robber  came  behind  mounted  on  the  slim  racer, 
which  followed  in  much  trepidation,  but  without  urging,  close  on 
the  heels  of  the  other  animal.  They  made  the  many  slippery  wind 
ings  in  safety,  and  when  they  reached  a  point  which  Sam  knew 
was  on  the  verge  of  the  outer  world,  he  extinguished  his  lantern. 
Proceeding  a  short  distance  farther  he  came  to  the  mouth  of  the 
cave,  and  here  he  stood  on  a  large  rock  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream  and  rehabilitated  himself.  Climbing  into  the  saddle  he 
maintained  the  lead  until  they  reached  the  stony  road  that 
crossed  the  stream  a  few  hundred  yards  below  the  cave.  Here 
the  two  men  halted  for  a  moment,  and  Sam,  in  a  whisper,  pro 
posed  to  his  companion  to  take  a  drink,  saying  he  was  cold. 

"  Ten  mile  away  from  here  there's  a  spring,"  replied  Mr. 
Hardrider,  "  and  we'll  take  a  drink  there,  Sammy,  if  we  ever  get 
there.  Till  then  not  a  drop  goes  down  my  throat." 

"  Mine  nother,  den,"  responded  Sam  in  a  shivering  whisper. 

Mr.  Hardrider  here  took  the  lead,  being  familiar  with  the  route. 
Wherever  the  way  was  broad  enough  Sam  rode  by  his  side,  and 
when  this  could  not  be  conveniently  done  he  dropped  behind. 
When  they  got  away  from  the  timber  and  into  the  open  country 
they  found  it  was  a  bright  starlight  night  and  pleasant  as  one 


An  Exciting  Adventure. 

could  wish.  There  were  several  houses  along  the  road,  and  by 
these  they  passed  as  quietly  as  they  could,  like  gentlemen  who 
were  in  no  special  hurry.  Between  these  they  rode  faster,  but 
there  was  nothing  in  the  gait  they  traveled  to  indicate  flight.  By 
and  by  they  came  to  a  long  lane,  with  a  broad  field  on  either 
hand.  Mr.  Hardrider  had  always  considered  this  a  critical  part 
of  his  road,  for  there  was  little  hope  of  escape  in  case  of  inter 
ruption.  Just  before  he  entered  it  he  drew  rein  and  whispered 
to  Sam : 

"  If  anybody  tries  to  halt  you  here,  clap  spurs  to  your  horse 
and  ride  right  over  him.  It's  forward  or  backward  in  this  place, 
and  if  you  turn  back  they'll  kill  you  sure." 

"  All  right/'  responded  Sam  in  a  voice  that  was  low,  husky, 
and  tremulous.  Perhaps  he  trembled  from  apprehension ;  perhaps 
he  was  still  chilly  from  exposure  in  the  creek ;  perhaps  both  causes 
combined  to  make  his  nerves  unsteady. 

They  proceeded  without  adventure  for  a  half-mile  or  so,  and 
Sam  was  just  congratulating  himself  that  the  danger  line  was 
passed,  when  a  tall  figure,  dressed  all  in  white,  rose  up  by  the 
roadside,  and  another  figure,  dressed  in  black,  rose  up  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  way.  The  figure  in  white  was  astoundingly 
tall,  and  his  eyes  beamed  more  luminously  than  those  of  an  owl 
in  the  night.  The  figure  in  black,  of  shorter  stature,  began  wav 
ing  his  arms  and  hopping  up  and  down  in  the  road  as  if  he  was 
making  ready  to  fly."  Neither  spoke,  and  their  unaccountable  be 
havior  was  calculated  to  astonish  anybody. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Hardrider,  it's  de  Ku  Klux,"  cried  Sam  in  the  ex 
tremity  of  his  terror. 

The  highwayman  did  not  resDond  to  his  companion  nor  under 
take  to  hold  converse  with  those  in  front  of  him.  Instead  of  this 
he  leveled  his  pistol  at  the  head  of  the  tallest  individual  in  front 
of  him  and  pulled  trigger.  At  the  flash  and  the  report  he 
clapped  spurs  to  his  steed,  and,  dashing  like  lightning  between 
the  white  spook  and  the  black  spook,  went  down  the  road  as  fast 
as  the  flying  feet  of  the  racer  could  take  him.  Sam  endeavored 
to  follow  suit,  but  to  his  unspeakable  terror  he  saw  as  he  advanced 
that  the  head  of  the  white  spook  had  been  knocked  off  by  Mr. 
Hardrider's  pistol  shot,  while  the  body  and  legs  were  still  cavort 
ing  about  in  the  road.  Staying  no  longer  to  question  he  rolled 
from  his  horse,  leaped  the  fence  on  his  left,  and  fled  the  scene 
of  action.  Two  or  three  shots  whizzed  over  his  head,  but  none 


196  The  K.  K.  K. 

came  near  him,  or  if  so  he  was  too  badly  frightened  to  take  note 
of  them.  He  ran  till  he  was  out  of  breath,  then  rested  a  while, 
and  rose  and  ran  again.  When  he  had  recovered  his  scattered 
senses  he  bent  his  way  more  deliberately  toward  the  hiding  place 
he  had  just  left,  and  from  which  he  knew  the  old  man  had  not  yet 
departed. 

Meanwhile  the  animal  he  had  deserted  in  such  unceremonious 
fashion  wheeled  in  the  road  and  would  have  made  back  in  the 
direction  from  which  it  had  come  but  that  the  tall  spook — not 
minding  the  trifling  accident  of  having  lost  its  head — rushed  for 
ward  in  haste  and  seized  the  bridle  rein.  It  was,  as  has  been  said, 
a  starlight  night,  and  objects  near  at  hand  could  be  discerned  with 
tolerable  distinctness.  When  the  headless  ghost  had  laid  firm 
grip  on  the  rein  and  consumed  a  second  or  two  in  inspecting  the 
captured  horse,  he  cried  exultantly  to  his  companion  in  black : 

"  Dandy  Jim,  by  Jupiter." 

The  voice  that  made  this  announcement  was  the  voice  of  Teddy 
Mclntosh,  though  the  stature  and  general  make-up  of  the  individ 
ual  hardly  seemed  to  be  that  of  a  human  being  at  all. 

"  Where's  my  head  ?  "  inquired  the  spook  that  had  appropri 
ated  Teddy's  voice.  "  Look  up  in  the  fence  corner  there  for  it, 
will  you  ?  That  fellow  shot  it  clean  off." 

The  fact  is,  Teddy  and  his  companion,  a  member  of  the  klan, 
had  been  assigned  to  duty  on  that  particular  road,  with  instruc 
tions  to  halt  and  inquire  into  the  business  of  all  travelers  who 
might  pass  their  way.  Desiring  to  mix  a  little  fun  with  more 
serious  duty  they  arrayed  themselves  in  ghostly  garbs,  and  re 
solved,  before  bringing  any  approaching  person  to  a  halt,  to  cut 
a  few  such  capers  in  the  road  as  would  be  calculated  to  pro 
foundly  impress  the  wayfarer.  Teddy  supposed  this  would,  of 
course,  lead  to  inquiry  from  the  advancing  party,  and  mutual 
explanations  would  follow.  He  was  armed  and  had  his  pistol 
in  his  hand,  as  did  his  companion  in  black,  when  the  two  horse 
men  came  down  the  lane,  but  when  Mr.  Hardrider  unexpectedly 
popped  away  at  him,  and  then  charged  down  upon  him,  he  was 
for  the  moment  disconcerted.  The  loss  of  his  pasteboard  head 
was  a  small  matter,  but  the  bullet  came  uncomfortably  close  to 
his  real  scalp,  indeed  plowed  a  slight  furrow  in  his  cranium,  and 
this  for  the  instant  put  him  out.  His  friend  in  black  fired  at  the 
gentleman  on  the  race  nag,  and  also  at  the  negro  as  he  leaped 
the  fence,  but  neither  shot  took  effect.  Teddy,  as  soon  as  he  came 


An  Exciting  Adventure.  197 

to  himself,  also  opened  up,  but  with  little  hope  of  doing  anything 
more  than  making  a  racket.  It  was  evident  they  had  let  two  bold 
horse  thieves  and  one  horse  get  away ;  but  as  the  fruit  of  the  en 
counter  they  had  saved  Dandy  Jim,  and  this  to  Teddy's  mind  was 
a  great  deal.  He  left  his  companion  to  stand  guard  the  remainder 
of  the  night,  being  convinced  that  no  other  exciting  adventure 
would  befall,  and,  mounting  the  captured  animal,  set  off  at  once 
for  the  residence  of  its  lawful  owner,  Miss  Sue  Bascombe. 

He  had  ten  miles  to  go,  but  he  reached  his  destination  before 
day,  and  sent  in  word  to  the  young  lady,  as  soon  as  anybody  was 
astir,  that  he  had  Dandy  Jim  safe  and  sound  at  the  front  gate, 
and  she  could  come  down  and  take  possession  if  she  was  a  mind  to. 

Miss  Sue  came  down  without  devoting  overmuch  time  to  her 
toilet,  and  having  thankfully  received  back  her  own,  invited  Mr. 
Mclntosh  to  breakfast.  The  young  gentleman,  after  washing  his 
face  and  hands,  was  of  course  obliged  to  relate  the  moving  inci 
dents  of  the  night,  and  it  goes  without  saying  that  he  had  an  at 
tentive  auditor.  Miss  Sue  was  very  fond  of  her  horse,  and  she 
seemed  to  be  very  much  obliged  to  the  young  gentleman  who 
had  rescued  her  horse  from  the  clutch  of  the  robber.  She  laughed 
when  Teddy  told  her  about  getting  his  head  shot  off,  and  she 
expressed  admiration  for  the  stranger  when  she  learned  of  his 
sudden  onslaught  and  successful  dash  for  liberty. 

"  Why,  he's  a  bold  fellow,  Teddy,  this  robber  is,"  she  said.  "  I'd 
like  to  know  more  about  him." 

"  I  don't  care  to  know  much  more  about  him,"  replied  Teddy. 
"  I  came  very  near  knowing  too  much  last  night.  Look  where  his 
bullet  grazed  my  head." 

She  examined  Mr.  Mclntosh's  head  as  he  held  it  down  for  in 
spection.  There  was  a  bruise  where  the  missile  "had  touched  the 
skin. 

"  You  should  have  shot  first,  Teddy,"  said  the  young  lady  when 
she  had  completed  her  investigation.  "  It  was  thoughtless  of  you 
to  play  ghost  in  the  road  with  a  robber  in  front." 

"  I  know  it  was,"  answered  Teddy. 

"  But  I  thank  you  ever  so  much  for  bringing  Dandy  Jim  back, 
and  I  won't  forget  you  for  it,  Teddy." 

"  Till  when  ?  "  inquired  the  young  man  rather  ungrammati 
cally. 

Miss  Sue  Bascombe  regarded  the  young  man  very  kindly.  "I'll 
remember  you  a  long,  long  time,  Teddy,"  she  answered.  "  I  al- 


198  The  K.  K.  K. 

ways  did  like  you,  you  know.  When  you  worked  my  sums  for 
me  at  school,  didn't  I  like  you  then  ?  " 

"  It  was  you  worked  mine,"  answered  Teddy. 

"  So  it  was,"  she  replied.  "  I  forgot.  Anyhow  I  like  you,  and 
always  did  like  you.  You  know  that." 

He  swallowed  a  time  or  two  and  turned  rather  red  in  the  face. 
"  Wh-a-at  about  Ran  Pearson  ?  "  he  asked,  blunderingly. 

She  raised  her  head,  tapped  the  floor  with  her  foot,  and  an 
swered  deliberately :  "  Ran  Pearson  is  a  nice  old  man.  He's  get 
ting  bald-headed  too  fast  and  is  too  pokey  for  me." 

He  looked  decidedly  pleased.  "  You  like  me,  don't  you,  Sue? 
You  said  so  just  now." 

She  eyed  him  kindly  but  calmly.  "  I've  liked  you,  Teddy," 
she  replied,  "  ever  since  you  used  to  let  me  do  the  sums  for  you 
at  school." 

Then  the  breakfast  bell  rang.  When  the  meal  was  ended  Mr. 
Mclntosh  left  for  his  home,  riding  Dandy  Jim,  with  a  little  negro 
boy  behind  him  to  take  the  horse  back.  As  he  rode  he  mused. 
"  That  girl  can  twist  anybody  round  her  ringer,"  he  said  to  him 
self. 

It  was  an  hour  before  day  when  Sam  found  his  way  on  foot 
and  in  pitch  darkness  up  the  creek  that  led  into  the  interior  of  the 
cave.  He  groped  his  way  into  the  apartment  where  the  old  man 
slept  by  a  fire  which  gave  but  little  light  or  heat.  The  negro 
waked  him  and  related  his  experience.  The  two  remained  in  the 
cavern  all  the  following  day.  Late  in  the  evening  they  effectually 
secreted  the  few  remaining  articles  that  had  not  been  disposed  of 
the  day  before. 

"  Ve  vill  coom  pack  pime-by,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "  Meppe 
so,  meppe  so.  Tis  is  a  coot  place  for  a  man  vat  doose  not  vant  to 
mix  in  coompany." 

Shortly  before  midnight  they  withdrew,  each  with  his  clothes 
in  a  bundle  on  his  head.  At  the  entrance  to  the  cave  they  robed 
themselves  and  quietly  stole  away  from  the  vicinity.  Where  they 
hid  the  next  day,  and  where  they  lodged  the  following  night,  and 
for  many  suceeding  nights,  I  cannot  tell  you.  For  weeks  and 
weeks  the  creek  flowed  on  through  its  narrow  channel  undisturbed 
by  man  or  horse,  and  the  snug  guest  chamber  in  the  cavern  was 
unoccupied. 


The  Case  is  Called  in  Another  County.         199 


-CHAPTER  XXL 

THE    ANKERSTROM    CASE    IS    CALLED    IN    ANOTHER    COUNTY — THE 
JUDGE  IGNORES  A  POWERFUL  AFFIDAVIT,  AND  THE  TRIAL  BEGINS. 

FOUR  months  is  not  always,  and  what  with  the  plowing,  and 
the  planting,  and  the  doing  numberless  odd  jobs  on  the  farm,  the 
disgruntled  folk  who  had  come  away  from  the  court  at  Ashton 
did  not  find  the  time  very  long  until  they  were  summoned  again 
to  attend  the  court  at  Coopertown.  It  was  not  without  consider 
able  difficulty,  however,  that  Sheriff  Sanderson,  aided  by  Pear 
son,  induced  the  numerous  witnesses  to  forsake  their  avocations 
at  a  busy  time  of  the  year  and  journey  to  a  neighboring  county  to 
give  evidence  before  judge  and  jury.  Apprehension  of  being 
fined  for  non-attendance  secured  the  presence  of  some  of  them, 
though  there  were  not  few  who  would  have  remained  away  if  noth 
ing  else  had  been  relied  on  to  induce  their  attendance.  The  judge 
in  that  county  was  a  good  man,  of  respectable  legal  attainments, 
but  getting  along  in  years,  and  inclined  to  be  both  unduly  harsh 
when  at  all  exasperated,  and  unduly  lenient  when  subsequently 
soothed.  He  would  fine  right  and  left  when  witnesses  did  not 
answer  promptly  to  their  names  at  the  call  of  the-  sheriff,  and  as  a 
rule  remove  all  the  penalties  if  any  sort  of  excuse  was  afterward 
made  for  their  remissness.  In  common  parlance,  the  bark  of  the 
old  gentleman  was  worse  than  his  bite,  and  while  he  would  preach 
sermons  in  court  about  the  duty  of  prompt  obedience  to  process, 
and  would  grumble  and  fret  over  infractions  of  his  many  rules, 
he  was  not  regarded  generally  as  a  rigid  man  on  the  bench.  This 
being  so  it  was  not  because  they  stood  in  awe  of  the  court,  but 
mainly  as  the  result  of  cajolement  and  persuasion  on  the  part  of 
Sheriff  Sanderson,  supplemented  by  personal  entreaty  from  Pear 
son,  that  the  major  part  of  those  notified  were  induced  to  take 
the  long  trip  from  their  homes  to  Coopertown. 

They  were  finally  gathered  together,  however,  a  respectable  ar 
ray  as  they  stood  up  in  the  court-room  to  answer  to  their  names 


200  The  K.  K.  K. 

as  the  noted  case  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  versus  Johan  Anker- 
strom  was  called  for  trial  the  third  time.  A  few  material  wit 
nesses  were  absent,  but  in  his  earnest  desire  to  proceed  Pearson 
assured  the  State's  attorney  that  he  would  have  them  on  hand  the 
next  day,  and  that  official  announced  to  the  court  that  he  was 
ready  to  proceed  with  the  investigation  of  the  cause.  When  the 
prosecuting  attorney  had  so  announced  the  judge  inquired  blandly 
of  Palaver  if  his  client  was  likewise  ready  to  proceed.  At  this 
the  lawyer  rose  from  his  seat  and  looked  about  gravely  over  the 
crowded  court-room.  He  then  handed  to  the  officer  in  attendance 
a  paper  containing  a  long  list  of  names,  and  requested  that  the 
persons  designated  be  brought  at  once  to  the  bar  of  the  court. 
This  official  was  an  undersized  man,  with  a  keen  voice  well 
adapted  to  pierce  the  noise  and  confusion  that  frequently  prevails 
in  an  ill-disciplined  court-room.  He  now  mounted  a  chair  and 
called  aloud  to  the  whole  assemblage  to  be  quiet.  He  then  read 
the  names  upon  his  paper,  and  here  and  there  as  he  proceeded 
some  one  in  the  audience  responded  "  Here."  The  sharp-voiced 
officer  next  went  to  a  window  and  made  proclamation,  which  sig 
nified  to  the  whole  town  that  the  attendance  of  certain  persons 
was  desired  in  court.  Thus  he  secured  the  presence  of  about  half 
the  individuals  on  his  list,  and  reported  that  the  others  were  not 
in  attendance  upon  the  court. 

Upon  receipt  of  this  information  Palaver  looked  grave.  He 
perused  the  paper  carefully  and  frowned,  and  knit  his  brows  as 
if  in  considerable  perplexity.  After  some  minutes  thus  con 
sumed  he  remarked  to  the  court  that  he  was  very  anxious  to  pro 
ceed  with  the  trial,  as  the  case  had  already  taken  up  more  of  his 
time  than  he  could  afford  to  devote  to  it,  but  he  could  not  announce 
ready  while  so  many  of  his  witnesses  remained  in  contempt  of 
the  process  of  the  court.  Perhaps  if  the  officer  would  take  a  turn 
around  town  he  might  fish  some  of  these  from  the  stores,  or  find 
them  loafing  on  the  corners,  and  fetch  them  into  court.  The 
judge  at  his  suggestion  began  to  shake  his  foot  and  his  head  at  the 
same  time,  which  his  intimates  said  was  a  dangerous  sign  with 
him.  Palaver  upon  this  looked  graver  still,  though  he  was  in 
wardly  pleased,  as  the  judge  was  more  apt  to  commit  some  rever 
sible  error  while  in  a  pet  than  if  he  kept  his  cool  judgment  about 
him. 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  sir,"  Palaver  remarked  smoothly,  "  that  my 
client's  witnesses  will  be  in  presently.  They  have  a  long  distance 


The  Case  is  Called  in  Another  County.         201 

to  come,  and  it  is  now,  as  your  honor  will  see,  but  a  little  past  ten 
o'clock." 

The  judge  here  launched  into  a  discourse  upon  the  importance 
of  prompt  obedience  to  the  orders  of  the  court.  He  declared  that 
business  could  not  be  transacted,  and  the  people's  interests  must 
suffer,  if  the  process  of  the  court  was  to  be  trifled  with  in  such 
fashion.  Witnesses  might  be  higgling  in  stores  or  loafing  on 
street  corners,  but  they  had  no  right  to  be  higgling  in  stores  or  loaf 
ing  on  street  corners  when  their  presence  was  demanded  in  court, 
and  they  had  been  duly  summoned  to  appear  in  court  and 
give  evidence  as  to  facts  within  their  knowledge.  Such  wilful 
conduct,  the  judge  declared,  could  not  be  tolerated,  and  he  in 
structed  the  clerk  to  enter  a  fine  of  ten  dollars  and  costs  against 
each  one  of  the  delinquents. 

Palaver,  as  soon  as  he  could  get  a  chance  to  edge  in  a  word,  re 
marked  emphatically  that  he  heartily  indorsed  the  action  of  the 
court  and  was  satisfied  the  public  generally  would  approve  of  it. 
"  Here  I  am/'  said  he,  "  anxious  to  proceed  with  the  trial  of  this 
cause,  and  my  client — who  has  been  languishing  in  jail  for  a  year 
— is  even  more  solicitous  on  the  subject  than  myself,  and  yet,  just 
as  we  feel  confident  that  we  are  about  to  secure  a  hearing  we  find 
ourselves  balked  by  the  inexcusable  absence  of  certain  important 
witnesses,  who  might  have  been  on  hand  just  as  easy  as  not.  Your 
honor  is  exactly  right,"  cried  Palaver,  lifting  his  voice  so  as  to  be 
heard  over  the  entire  court-room,  "  in  teaching  these  fellows  a 
lesson,  and  I  hope  they  and  others  will  profit  by  it.  If  there  were 
more  inflexible  judges  like  your  Honor  in  this  State  there  would  be 
less  complaint  about  laxity  in  the  administration  of  justice.  Undue 
leniency  on  the  part  of  the  courts  makes  it  impossible  to  proceed 
with  the  people's  business,  and  the  failure  to  enforce  prompt  trial 
of  causes  necessarily  leads  to  mob  law,  for  if  the  courts  will  not 
attend  to  the  people's  business  the  people  will  rise  up  en  masse 
and  attend  to  their  own  business.  These  interminable  delays  are 
ruinous  to  the  best  interests  of  the  country,  and  are  well  calcu 
lated  to  bring  not  only  courts  but  the  legal  profession  into  con 
tempt.  Crime  must  be  punished,"  proclaimed  the  lawyer,  warm 
ing  up  to  his  work,  "  and  innocent  men  under  grave  imputations 
must  be  speedily  set  at  liberty,  and  how  can  crime  be  punished, 
and  innocent  men  set  free,  if 'those  summoned  to  testify  wilfully 
disobey  the  orders  of  the  court  ?  I  speak  with  feeling  on  this  sub 
ject,"  continued  the  lawyer,  with  a  touch  of  the  pathetic  in  his 


202  The  K.  K.  K. 

tone,  "  and  I  frankly  admit  to  your  honor  that  my  sensibilities  in 
this  particular  case  have  been  moved.  Here  is  my  client,  as  I  have 
already  said,  languishing  in  the  common  jail  with  all  sorts  of  low 
and  vile  fellows,  unfit  company  for  decent  men.  He  is  away,  far 
away,  if  the  honorable  court  please,  from  the  friends  of  his  child 
hood  and  his  own  domestic  circle.  The  gray  hairs  of  his  vener 
able  father  are  now  being  brought  down  in  sorrow  to  the  grave 
in  consequence  of  his  protracted  incarceration.  His  poor  wife  is 
at  this  moment  mourning  upon  her  lonely  hearthstone,  and  his 
little  children  are  clinging  about  her  knees  and  sobbing  piteously 
for  him  who  returns  not.  The  contemplation  of  such  a  picture 
would  be  sufficient  to  touch  a  heart  of  stone,  and  your  honor  will 
therefore  excuse  me  if  I  am  somewhat  moved  as  I  dwell  upon  it 
here." 

As  Palaver  was  proceeding  in  this  pathetic  strain  the  keen- 
voiced  official  returned  into  court  with  the  intelligence  that  he  had 
been  in  all  the'  stores  and  upon  the  street  corners,  had  indeed 
searched  the  town  high  and  low,  without  discovering  any  of  the 
absent  witnesses.  He  further  stated,  giving  Sheriff  Sanderson  as 
his  informant,  that  most  of  these  witnesses  were  not  under  sub 
poena,  as  the  officers  had  not  been  able  to  find  them  in  the  adjoin 
ing  county,  where  they  were  supposed  to  reside.  The  clerk  sub 
stantiated  this  assertion  by  producing  the  subpoenas,  which  showed 
that  the  names  of  most  of  the  persons  sought  for  had  been  in- 
dorsed  by  the  officers  "  Not  found." 

Palaver  adjusted  his  spectacles  and  examined  the  subpoenas 
critically.  "  No  found !  not  found !  "  he  exclaimed  in  astonish 
ment.  "  Why,  where  is  the  sheriff  of  that  county  ?  Where  is  San 
derson?" 

"  I'm  here,  sir,"  responded  that  official,  politely. 

"  Why  were  these  witnesses  not  found,  sir  ?  "  inquired  Palaver. 
"Whose  fault  was  that?" 

Sanderson  replied,  respectfully,  that  some  of  the  witnesses 
named  were  dead,  some  had  long  since  moved  away  from  his 
county,  and  some,  he  was  of  opinion,  had  never  had  any  existence 
anywhere. 

"  Do  you  know  every  man  in  your  county  ?  "  inquired  Palaver, 
severely. 

Sanderson  admitted  that  he  did  not,  though  he  added  that  his 
acquaintance  was  pretty  extensive. 

"  And  from  your  pretty  extensive  acquaintance,  sir,  you  un- 


The  Case  is  Called  in  Another  County.         203 

-dei-take  to  say  that  some  of  these  witnesses  never  had  any  existence 
anywhere  ?  " 

"  I  say  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief,"  rejoined  San 
derson,  firmly,  "  that  no  such  human  beings  ever  lived  in  my 
county." 

"  Ah,"  replied  Palaver,  triumphantly,  "  you  modify  your  state 
ment  then,  do  you,  Mr.  Sheriff?  First,  you  were  quite  sure  the 
witnesses  lived  nowhere  on  the  face  of  the  earth;  now  you  give 
it  as  your  opinion  that  they  do  not  abide  in  your  county.  Which 
means,  I  take  it,  sir,  that  for  some  reason  satisfactory  to  yourself, 
you  have  not  chosen  to  look  for  them  in  your  county." 

Then  without  giving  Sheriff  Sanderson  a  chance  to  reply,  the 
lawyer  addressed  himself  to  the  court :  "  It  is  quite  evident,  if  the 
honorable  court  please,"  said  he,  "  that  the  statement  we  have  just 
heard  is  but  a  flimsy  excuse  on  the  part  of  this  officer  for  his  own 
remissness.  As  my  witnesses  are  not  here,  sir,  I  shall,  of  course, 
have  to  ask  a  continuance  to  the  next  term,  but  I  wish  the  case  set 
for  the  very  first  day  of  that  term ;  and  I  wish,  sir,  the  process  put 
in  the  hands  of  some  officer  who  will  use  his  very  best  endeavor 
to  bring  my  witnesses  into  court  on  the  day  set.  I  will  now  retire, 
sir,  for  a  few  moments  and  prepare  a  suitable  affidavit  in  order 
that  the  papers  in  the  case  may  show  that  I  was  obliged  to  ask  for, 
and  your  honor  was  obliged  to  grant,  this  continuance." 

With  that  the  lawyer  retired  in  company  with  his  client.  After 
the  lapse  of  a  half-hour  he  returned  with  an  affidavit  as  long  as 
his  arm,  which,  having  been  sworn  to  by  the  defendant,  he  pro 
ceeded  to  read  to  the  court.  The  judge  listened  gravely  at  first, 
and  then  with  manifest  impatience,  and  when  the  reading  was 
through  announced  promptly  and  emphatically  that  the  allegations 
in  the  document  were  insufficient  and  the  case  must  proceed  to 
trial.  Whereupon  Palaver  in  the  presence  of  the  court  and  by 
standers  heaved  a  deep  sigh,  and  said  it  was  a  serious  thing  to  put 
a  man  on  trial  for  his  life  when  none  of  his  material  witnesses  were 
present  to  testify  in  his  behalf. 

The  witnesses  were  then  sworn  and  placed  under  the  rule :  that 
is,  they  were  instructed  to  retire  from  the  court-room,  and  to 
avoid  all  mention  of  the  case  among  themselves,  or  with  others, 
until  they  were  called  back  to  testify  before  the  jury.  The  jurors 
who  had  been  summoned  for  the  occasion,  an  even  hundred,  were 
next  called  over,  and  a  list  of  their  names  given  to  the  prisoner's 
counsel.  One  by  one  they  were  then  brought  to  the  bar  of  the 


204  The  K.  K.  K. 

court  and  each  examined  upon  his  "  voire  dire."  Being  first  put 
upon  their  solemn  oaths,  they  were  required  to  state  whether  they 
were  householders  or  freeholders  of  the  county  in  which  the  trial 
was  to  be  had;  whether  they  were  in  any  way  related  to  the 
prosecutor  or  the  prisoner  at  the  bar ;  and  whether  they  had  formed 
or  expressed  an  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  said 
prisoner.  The  first  two  questions  were  easily  answered,  but  the 
third  oftentimes  proved  a  stumper  to  the  court  as  well  as  the 
juror.  The  prisoner,  as  has  been  said,  under  the  over-cautious 
law  of  Tennessee,  was  given  twenty-four  peremptory  challenges ; 
that  is,  his  counsel  could  direct  two  dozen  of  those  summoned  as 
jurors  to  stand  aside  without  leave  of  court,  and  without  assigning 
any  reason  for  his  objection.  Palaver,  however,  was  by  no  means 
content  with  this  liberal  provision  in  his  own  behalf,  but  set  to 
work  to  probe  the  mind  of  each  man  brought  forward  to  the  very 
bottom,  and  thus  ascertain  for  himself  whether  he  was  or  was  not 
a  competent  juror.  If  the  person  under  investigation  turned  out 
to  be  a  complete  ignoramus  he  usually  accepted  him  as  one  fit  to  sit 
on  the  case  at  bar,  but  if  he  was  of  even  moderate  intelligence 
the  lawyer  insisted  he  was  incompetent.  He  harried  and  worried 
one  after  another  of  those  composing  the  venire  until  the  judge 
completely  lost  his  temper,  and  each  succeeding  juror  as  his  name 
was  called  approached  the  clerk  with  trepidation.  They  were 
good  men  in  the  main,  who  did  not  wish  to  serve  anyway,  and  were 
perfectly  willing  when  they  founcj  themselves  drawn  into  sharp 
discussion  with  the  lawyer  to  take  the  smoothest  way  out  of  the 
difficulty. 

"  Who  has  talked  with  you  about  this  case  ?  "  inquired  Palaver, 
fiercely,  of  an  honest  farmer,  who  said  in  answer  to  the  clerk's 
question  that  he  had  no  fixed  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence 
of  the  prisoner,  though  like  most  everybody  else  he  had  heard  some 
talk  of  the  Bascombe  murder. 

"  Who  has  talked  with  you  about  this  case  ?  "  inquired  Palaver 
of  the  juror. 

"  Wai,  I  dunno.  Nobody  in  particular,  I  reckon.  Jess  a  word 
here,  and  a  word  there,  you  know." 

"Just  a  word  here,  and  a  word  there,  you  say?"  responded 
the  lawyer,  inching  his  chair  up  nearer  to  the  individual  whom  he 
sought  to  bring  into  trouble. 

"  Yes,  'bout  that  way,  you  know.  Jess  a  little  loose  talk  that 
didn't  signify/' 


The  Case  is  Called  in  Another  County.         205 

"  Didn't  signify  ?  "  repeated  Palaver,  in  his  most  sarcastic  tone. 
"  Didn't  signify  ?  Now,  sir,  will  you  please  state  to  me  specifically 
just  what  this  loose  talk  was  that  in  your  opinion  didn't  signify. 
Will  you  state  it,  sir,  so  that  I  and  the  judge  may  determine 
whether  or  not  it  signifies.  Can  you  state  it  specifically,  sir  ?  " 

"  Wai,  squire,"  replied  the  unlucky  witness,  after  some  hesita 
tion,  "  I  dunno  as  I  kin." 

"  Dunno  as  you  kin?  "  repeated  Palaver,  still  more  sarcastically, 
and  drawing  still  nearer  the  prospective  juror.  Those  behind  the 
rail  now  began  to  press  forward,  being  confident  from  the  turn  af 
fairs  were  taking  that  there  was  fun  ahead.  Palaver,  of  course, 
noted  this  demonstration,  and  was  pleased  with  it.  He  began  now 
rubbing  his  hands,  and  looking  first  toward  his  intended  victim 
and  then  back  upon  the  bystanders  as  if  to  assure  them  they  would 
not  be  disappointed. 

"  Dunno  as  you  kin  ?  "  repeated  Palaver.  "  You  are  the  kind  of 
fellow  then  who  cannot  be  influenced  in  the  least  by  loose  talk, 
but  with  whom  tight  talk  goes  a  long  way.  Is  that  it  ?  " 

"  Mebbe  so,  squire,  mebbe  so,"  replied  the  discomforted  farmer. 
The  crowd  here  broke  into  a  laugh  and  a  disorderly  demonstra 
tion  which  it  required  proclamation  from  the  sheriff  to  quell. 

"  Tight  talk  is  very  persuasive,  but  loose  talk  doesn't  signify," 
pursued  the  facetious  attorney.  "  That's  the  way  of  it  with  you, 
is  it  ?  That's  the  way  of  it  with  you  ?  Now,  sir,  let  us  test  the  ac 
curacy  of  the  conclusion  you  have  reached  in  this  matter.  Will 
you  please  define  for  me,  sir,  precisely  the  difference  between 
loose  talk  and  tight  talk  as  laid  down  in  your  dictionary  ?  " 

The  juror  shook  his  head.  "  I  wouldn't  try  to  do  that,  squire," 
he  replied.  "  I  wouldn't  try  to  do  that." 

"  Wouldn't  try  to  do  that  ?  Then,  sir,  I'll  ask  you  another  ques 
tion,  and  I  hope  I'll  be  more  fortunate  in  eliciting  a  reply.  Will 
you  please  inform  me,  sir,  whether  you  actually  heard  this  loose 
talk  that  you  say  was  going  round  in  your  section  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  heerd  it." 

"  Actually  heard  it,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  heerd  it." 

"  No  mistake  about  that  ?  " 

"  No,  thar  ain't  no  mistake  about  it.  That  is,"  he  added  for 
fear  of  being  led  into  a  trap,  "  I  don't  reckon  thar's  any  mistake 
about  it." 

At  this  Palaver  laughed.     The  crowd  behind  the  bar  laughed 


206  The  K.  K.  K. 

again,  and  the  sheriff  a  second  time  admonished  them  to  be 
quiet. 

"  You  are  not  deaf,  are  you  ?  "  inquired  the  lawyer  of  the  wit 
ness. 

"  No,  I  ain't  deef." 

"  Then  you  must  have  heard  it," 

"Heerd  which?" 

*'  Why,  the  loose  talk  that  you  say  was  going  round  in  your 
neighborhood." 

"  Yes,  I  heerd  it." 

"You  are  positive?" 

"  Yes,  I'm  positive." 

"  Now,  sir,"  queried  the  lawyer,  assuming  an  argumentative 
tone,  "  I'll  ask  you  if  any  kind  of  talk — loose  talk  or  tight  talk — 
can  go  in  at  your  ear  without  making  some  sort  of  impression  on 
your  mind?  " 

"Which?" 

"  You  have  good  ears,  you  say  ?  " 

"  Yes,  pooty  good." 

"  And  you  have  a  mind,  sir?  " 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  reckon  so.  Yes,  I  know  in  reason  I  must  have.  Of 
course  I've  got  a  mind." 

"  Then,  sir,  I'll  ask  you  if  it's  possible  for  any  sort  of  informa 
tion  to  be  conveyed  through  those  ears  of  yours  without  making  an 
impression  upon  that  mind  of  yours  ?  " 

"Which?" 

"  Can  anything  go  in  at  your  ears  without  effecting  a  lodgment 
in  your  mind  ?  " 

"  No,  I  reckon  not." 

"  And  if  anything  in  the  way  of  information  does  go  in  at  your 
ears,  and  does  effect  a  lodgment  in  your  mind,  then  you  have  an 
opinion,  haven't  you  ?  " 

The  judge  here  heaved  a  deep  groan. 

"  Under  them  circumstances  I  reckon  I  would.  I'd  be  'bleeged 
to  have  an  opinion  under  them  circumstances,  wouldn't  I,  squire  ?  " 

"  You'd  be  'bleeged  to  have  an  opinion,  would  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  would." 

"You  couldn't  help  it?' 

"  No,  I  couldn't  help  it." 

"  Now,  sir,  you  say  you  heard  words  passing-  about  in  your 


The  Case  is  Called  in  Another  County.         207 

neighborhood  on  the  subject  of  the  Bascombe  murder?    A  word 
here,  and  a  word  there,  to  use  your  own  expression." 

"  Yes,  I  said  that." 

"  And  these  words  found  lodgment  in  your  mind  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure." 

"  And  made  an  impression  which  it  would  require  other  testi 
mony  to  remove  ?  " 

"  Suttinly." 

"  Then  you  have  an  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the 
prisoner  ?  " 

"  Wai,  now,  see  here,  squire,  I " 

"  Have  you  an  opinion,  or  have  you  not?  " 

"  Wai  now,  see  here.  Accordin'  to  your  way  of  puttin'  the 
thing " 

"  Answer  my  question;  yes  or  no." 

"  Have  I  got  an  opinion  ?  " 

"  Ye-ss,"  with  considerable  asperity.  "  Have  you  an  opinion 
in  your  own  mind  at  present  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the 
prisoner  ?  If  not,  sir,  I'll  trouble  you  to  tell  me " 

"  Yes,  I  reckon  I've  got  some  sort  of  an  opinion  floatin'  round 
in  my  mind.  I  reckon  so." 

"  You  admit  that  now,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  own  to  that  now ;  though  at  fust,  you  see " 

"  You  have  an  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  pris 
oner?" 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  responded  the  tired  juror,  willing  to  bring  the 
discussion  to  an  end  upon  any  terms. 

"  And  it  would  require  proof  to  remove  that  opinion  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  would." 

"  I  challenge  him  for  cause,"  cried  the  triumphant  attorney,  ad 
dressing  the  court. 

"  Let  him  stand  aside,"  said  the  exasperated  judge.  "  But  I'm 
satisfied  he  has  no  opinion  in  his  mind  worth  a  shuck." 

So  it  went  all  the  forenoon,  and  all  the  hot  afternoon,  and  what  , 
with  the  twenty-four  peremptory  challenges  for  no  cause  at  all,  I 
and  the  limitless  number  for  next  to  no  cause  at  all,  the  sun  went 
down,  and  the  court  adjourned  before  twelve  good  and  lawful  men 
had  taken  their  seats  in  the  jury  box.    It  was  evident  that  Palaver 
had  resolved  to  try  the  cause  before  twelve  idiots  if  so  many 
could  be  found  in  the  county,  for  he  managed  to  get  rid  of  every 
individual  on  the  venire  whose  answers  indicated  that  he  was  of 


208  The  K.  K.  K. 

average  intelligence,  or  whom  he  knew  to  be  of  respectable  stand 
ing  in  the  community.  When  night  came,  however,  he  had  ex 
hausted  his  twenty-four  peremptory  challenges,  and  ten  jurors 
had  been  chosen,  so  there  was  reasonable  ground  for  hoping  the 
trial  might  begin  in  the  forenoon  of  the  following  day.  The  sher 
iff  was  instructed  to  fetch  in  a  fresh  panel  of  jurors,  as  every  one 
of  the  original  hundred  had  either  been  accepted  or  ordered  to 
stand  aside  upon  one  pretext  or  another. 

The  witnesses  for  the  State  and  the  prisoner  found  accommoda 
tion  for  the  night  as  best  they  could,  and  resorted  to  various  de 
vices  to  while  away  time  until  the  nine  o'clock  bell  should  con 
vene  court  the  following  morning. 


Miss  Sue  Bascombe  Takes  the  Stand.         209 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

MISS  SUE  BASCOMBE  TAKES  THE  STAND,  AND  THERE  ENSUES  A  VERY 
LEARNED  ARGUMENT  OF  A  VERY  GRAVE  POINT. 

THE  next  morning  when  court  assembled  the  two  additional 
jurors  were  secured  with  less  trouble  than  had  been  anticipated. 
The  prisoner's  peremptory  challenges  had  been  exhausted,  and  the 
sheriff  had  brought  into  court  a  fresh  lot  of  men,  most  of  whom 
were  intellectually  above  the  standard  which  Palaver  had  fixed  in 
his  own  mind  as  the  proper  one  in  the  selection  of  jurors.  He 
would  have  gotten  rid  of  each  of  these  no  doubt  upon  the  ground 
that  he  knew,  or  had  heard,  something  of  the  case  at  bar,  but  the 
judge  this  morning  had  taken  his  seat  on  the  bench  with  the  re 
solve  to  proceed  with  the  order  of  business,  and  so  he  ruled  sev 
eral  times  that  the  individual  under  scrutiny  had  no  disqualifying 
opinion,  while  Palaver  insisted  mightily  that  he  had.  Slowboy,  who, 
of  course,  was  present  in  court,  backed  up  his  chieftain's  conten 
tion  with  some  dry  logic,  and  several  decisions  from  the  supreme 
judicial  tribunal  of  the  State,  but  the  trial  judge  to-day  had  the 
bit  in  his  teeth — as  the  lawyers  said — and  made  no  bones  of  hold 
ing  promptly  and  decisively  against  the  two  attorneys  as  soon  as 
the  sentences  from  their  lips  had  ceased  to  reverberate  in  the  court 
room.  This  unjudicial  conduct  brought  grief  to  the  older  lawyer, 
but  Slowboy  was  secretly  pleased,  for  being  but  a  plain  matter-of- 
fact  fellow  he  always  preferred  to  have  plain  common-sense  men 
before  him  to  whom  he  could  address  his  talk. 

The  twelve  jurors  being  now  chosen  were  called  upon  by  the 
clerk  to  rise  in  their  seats  and  raise  their  right  hands  preparatory 
to  being  sworn  as  triers  of  the  cause. 

"  Where's  the  book?  Where's  the  book?"  exclaimed  Palaver, 
testily.  "  We  want  no  new-fangled  notions  here.  Fetch  out  the 
book,  Mr.  Clerk." 

So  the  clerk  rummaged  among  his  pigeon  holes,  and  finally  pro 
duced  a  dusty  and  somewhat  greasy  New  Testament,  which  the 


210  The  K.  K.  K. 

first  juror  solemnly  kissed  in  open  court  and  passed  to  his  neigh 
bor,  and  so  it  went  down  the  line.  This  grave  ceremonial  through, 
the  twelve  jurors  resumed  their  seats,  the  indictment  was  read, 
and  the  trial  of  Johan  Ankerstrom,  alias  Cross-eyed  Jack,  etc.,  for 
the  murder  of  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe  was  begun  at  last. 

Miss  Sue  Bascombe  was  the  first  witness  introduced,  and  she 
made  an  excellent  impression  on  judge  and  jury;  indeed  upon  all 
those  present  in  the  court-room.  She  told  a  plain  unvarnished  tale 
without  embellishment,  without  embarrassment — though  sur 
rounded  by  strangers — and  without  attempt  at  display.  She  de 
scribed  the  location  of  the  house  in  which  she  and  her  grand 
mother  had  dwelt,  and,  for  the  better  information  of  the  jurors, 
drew  with  a  piece  of  chalk  on  the  court-room  floor  an  accurate  dia 
gram  showing  the  plan  of  the  building.  Here  to  the  left  as  you 
faced  the  highway  was  the  lower  room  occupied  as  a  sleeping 
apartment  by  herself  and  Mrs.  Susan  Bascombe.  At  the  other  end 
of  the  structure  was  the  company  room,  which,  as  its  designation 
indicated,  was  usually  reserved  for  visitors,  though  during  the  pre 
ceding  winter  it  had  been  occupied  for  purposes  of  study  by  Mr. 
Wiseman,  the  schoolmaster.  Between  these  was  the  open  hallway 
from  which  a  narrow  passage,  with  a  locked  door  at  top,  led  to  the 
half-story  apartments  above.  With  what  seemed  to  be  unneces 
sary  particularity  the  attorney-general  drew  from  the  witness  the 
minutest  details  as  to  the  plan  of  the  old  building  where  the  crime 
was  committed.  He  wished  to  fix  vividly  in  the  minds  of  the 
jurors  the  scene  of  the  tragedy,  and  he  saw  they  were  all  keenly 
intent  as  the  girl,  kneeling  most  of  the  while  on  the  floor  with  the 
lump  of  chalk  in  her  hand,  answered  calmly  the  various  questions 
propounded  to  her.  Here  was  the  bed  on  which  she  had  slept,  and 
there  was  the  one  occupied  by  her  grandmother.  Close  beside  her 
couch  was  a  window  which  looked  into  the  back  yard,  and  within 
reach  of  her  grandmother's  arm  was  a  door  opening  into  the  front 
yard,  there  being  only  one  low  step  from  the  sill  to  the  ground 
outside.  Here  was  what  was  called  the  middle  door,  opening  into 
the  hallway  and  leading  across  this  into  the  spare  room  by  a  door 
exactly  opposite.  A  little  way  off  from  the  main  building — here, 
and  here,  and  here — were  the  kitchen  and  smokehouse  and  hen 
house.  Running  thus  was  the  rail  fence  encircling  the  premises, 
and  immediately  back  of  the  residence  was  a  steep  ridge  on  the 
side  of  \yhich  the  foliage  was  then  dense,  far  it  was  summer 
time, 


Miss  Sue  Bascombe  Takes  the  Stand.         211 

To  all  this  rather  dry  description  the  judge  listened,  the  jurors 
listened,  and  even  Palaver  gave  respectful  attention.  It  was  not 
usual  to  see  a  young  girl  in  a  crowded  court-room  drawing  plans 
with  a  piece  of  chalk  on  the  floor,  and  illustrating  her  sketch  with 
verbal  description  as  simple  and  direct  as  if  it  had  come  from  a 
teacher  of  mathematics  instructing  a  class.  All  the  younger  law 
yers  at  the  bar  crowded  about  and  looked  over  the  shoulders  of 
those  immediately  engaged  in  the  case ;  and  Slowboy — who  by  vir 
tue  of  his  partnership  with  Palaver  had  a  front  seat — sat  with 
open  eyes  staring  at  Sue,  and  forgetful  to  make  notes  of  her  tes 
timony  on  the  unscratched  tablet  which  he  held  in  his  lap. 

When  the  diagram  was  completed  and  the  descriptive  matter 
ended,  the  young  lady  resumed  her  seat  in  the  witness  chair,  and 
detailed  to  the  jury  the  startling  incidents  of  the  night  of  the  trag 
edy.  The  sash  of  the  window  by  her  bed  that  night  was  raised, 
but  the  blind  was  closed.  It  was  about  midnight  when  between 
sleeping  and  waking  she  heard  a  light  step  in  the  open  hallway 
between  the  room  occupied  by  herself  and  grandmother  and  the 
spare  room  used  for  the  reception  of  visitors.  She  had  been 
wakeful  during  the  night,  and  with  her  faculties  all  on  the  alert  she 
recognized  this  step  at  once  as  the  stealthy  tread  of  a  human  being. 
It  was  not  the  trot  of  a  dog  or  the  footfall  of  any  smaller  animal, 
for  she  was  not  unaccustomed  to  these,  and  could  distinguish  them 
at  once.  The  intruder  paused  when  he  reached  the  door  of  the 
family  room  and  seemed  to  stand  still  and  listen  for  a  few  mo 
ments.  Then  a  violent  blow  was  struck  that  jarred  the  house, 
and  her  grandmother,  awakened  by  the  crash,  sprang  out  of  bed  in 
a  moment.  In  an  instant,  or  almost  immediately  following  the 
first  blow,  a  second  was  struck,  more  violent  than  the  first,  and 
the  door  gave  way.  The  widow  Bascombe,  being  remarkably  ac 
tive  for  one  of  her  years,  by  this  time  had  reached  the  door  by  her 
bedside  that  led  into  the  front  yard  and  made  her  escape  through 
that.  The  witness  threw  open  the  shutter  by  her  couch  and  leaped 
through  the  small  window  into  the  back  yard.  As  she  did  so  she 
glanced  back  fearfully  and  saw  the  form  of  a  man  in  the  doorway 
that  had  been  broken  open.  It  was  quite  dark,  and  she  could  not 
discern  his  features,  could  not  even  tell  whether  it  was  a  white 
man  or  a  negro,  but  she  could  tell  it  was  the  figure  of  a  human 
being  of  low  stature  and  somewhat  bulky  build.  There  was  no 
weapon  in  the  house  except  a  shotgun  that  rested  in  a  rack  on  the 
opposite  wall,  and  she  did  not  know  to  a  certainty  that  this  was 


212  The  K.  K.  K. 

• 

loaded.  When  her  grandmother  disappeared  through  the  front 
door  she  leaped,  as  said,  through  the  little  window  by  her  bed  into 
the  back  yard,  and  ran  as  fast  as  she  could  up  the  steep  hill  that 
rose  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  house.  Her  grandmother 
could  have  escaped  in  the  darkness  through  the  front  yard,  and 
she  thought  she  had  done  so  until  she  was  startled  by  her  cry  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  house.  The  witness  by  this  time  was 
some  distance  away,  but  when  she  heard  her  grandmother's  cry 
she  at  once  turned  back,  determined  to  go  to  her  rescue  at  whatever 
cost.  She  was  barefooted,  and  the  stones  on  the  hillside  hurt  her 
feet,  but  she  made  the  best  speed  she  could  back  toward  the  house 
she  had  left.  Suddenly  a  light  blazed  out  from  the  building,  then 
she  heard  her  grandmother's  cry  again,  the  second  time  more 
startling  than  the  first.  When  she  neared  the  yard  fence  she 
heard  the  barking  of  a  dog  and  the  sound  of  running  feet.  Think 
ing  there  must  be  a  number  of  ruffians  about  the  house  she  paused 
and  hesitated  before  advancing  farther.  All  was  now  still,  and  the 
flames  from  the  burning  house  lit  up  the  scene  around.  Deter 
mined  in  her  anxiety  to  go  forward  at  whatever  hazard,  she 
climbed  the  yard  fence,  and,  making  a  circuit  round  the  flames, 
found  her  grandomther  at  some  distance  away,  speechless,  desper 
ately  wounded,  and  with  her  clothing  and  flesh  badly  burned.  She 
did  what  she  could  to  assist  her,  and  in  a  short  while  was  joined 
by  first  one  and  then  another  of  the  friendly  neighbors.  Briefly, 
and  speaking  from  her  own  personal  knowledge,  this  was  all  she 
could  tell  as  to  the  horrible  tragedy  that  cost  her  grandmother's 
life,  and  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  the  home  in  which  she  her 
self  had  dwelt  since  infancy. 

As  Sue  Bascombe  told  her  story  calmly  and  without  the  slightest 
attempt  at  embellishment,  she  elicited  the  special  admiration  of  the 
old  judge,  who  remarked  aside  to  the  clerk,  while  she  was  on  the 
stand,  that  he  had  seldom  seen  in  the  court-room  a  witness  who 
so  faithfully  narrated  the  incidents  within  her  own  personal  knowl 
edge,  without  apparent  design  to  affect  the  issue  either  one  way  or 
the  other.  The  attorney-general  vainly  sought  to  induce  her  to 
strengthen  her  tale,  and  Palaver  on  cross-examination  almost  as 
vainly  sought  to  lure  her  into  some  admission  that  would  weaken 
it.  She  had  said  she  did  not  recognize  the  man  who  entered  the 
room  on  the  night  of  the  murder,  but  that  he  was  of  low  stature 
and  heavily  built.  The  State's  officer  urged  her  to  refresh  her 
memory  and  state  to  the  jury  whether  the  intruder  on  that  occa- 


Miss  Sue  Bascombe  Takes  the  Stand.         213 

sion  was  a  white  man  or  a  negro.  He  asked  her  whether  in  the 
dim  light  she  could  not  distinguish  features  far  enough  to  say 
that  the  face  of  the  housebreaker  was  white  and  not  black.  He 
more  than  intimated  that  this  was  a  highly  important  point  in 
the  chain  of  evidence,  and  if  possible  she  should  fix  her  memory 
on  the  incident,  and  undertake  to  say  whether  as  she  glanced 
back  at  the  figure  the  impression  made  on  her  mind  was  not  that 
it  was  a  white  man  who  was  forcing  his  way  into  the  room.  The 
girl  replied  positively  and  calmly  that  no  such  impression  was 
made  on  her  mind  at  the  time ;  that  as  she  glanced  back  hur 
riedly  she  saw  the  figure  of  a  human  being  in  the  doorway;  that 
it  was  the  figure,  not  of  a  tall  person,  but  of  one  whom  she  thought 
was  rather  below  the  average  height.  It  impressed  her  also  as 
being  the  figure  of  a  stout  man.  It  was  a  hasty  glance  she  gave, 
and  she  could  only  trace  the  outlines  of  a  human  form  against 
the  dim  light  in  the  hallway.  Possibly,  she  admitted  to  Palaver, 
she  might  be  mistaken  as  to  its  being  a  stout  and  not  a  slim 
figure,  but  she  was  not  mistaken  as  to  its  being  the  figure  of  a 
man  of  low  stature.  She  had  seen  the  prisoner  several  times 
before,  and  knew  the  negro,  Kinchen,  quite  well,  but  she  did  not 
recognize  either  of  them  as  being  the  person  standing  in  the  door 
way.  It  would  not  have  been  possible,  however,  for  her  to  have 
recognized  the  most  intimate  friend  under  the  circumstances. 

The  most  hotly  contested  point  in  the  progress  of  the  trial  was 
as  to  whether  the  statement  made  by  the  widow  Bascombe  shortly 
before  her  death  should  go  to  the  jury  as  testimony.  It  was  evi 
dent  from  the  earnestness  of  the  attorneys  on  both  sides  that  the 
decision  of  the  judge  on  this  question  was  of  vital  importance, 
and  Sue  was  given  a  good  rest  while  they  argued  the  matter  at 
length  before  the  court.  They  glided  into  the  sharp  discussion 
so  quietly  that  the  storm  broke  loose  around  her  before  she  was 
aware  of  the  fact  that  trouble  was  brewing.  After  she  had  de-  * 
tailed  without  interruption  all  of  the  incidents  connected  with 
the  murder  of  which  she  had  personal  knowledge,  the  attorney- 
general  in  a  matter-of-course  way  propounded  to  her  the  follow 
ing  query : 

"  I'll  ask  you,  Miss  Bascombe,  whether  your  grandmother  a 
short  while  before  her  death  did  not  make  a  statement  in  your 
presence,  in  which  she  said  that  she  recognized  the  prisoner  as 
the  man  who  broke  into  the  house  and  dealt  her  the  blow  with 
an  ax  from  which  she  afterward  died  ? " 


214  The  K.  K.  K. 

"What's  that?  What's  that?"  cried  Palaver,  whose  attention 
for  the  moment  had  been  diverted  to  something  else. 

"  I'm  seeking  to  introduce,"  replied  the  attorney-general,  "  the 
dying  declaration  of  the  widow  Bascombe." 

Palaver :  "  Well,  well,  sir ;  suppose  we  first  inquire  in  the 
usual  fashion  whether  there  was  a  dying  declaration." 

The  attorney-general  (rising  and  addressing  the  court)  :  "  We 
propose  to  show,  if  the  court  please,  that  the  widow  Bascombe 
on  the  night  of  her  death  distinctly  recognized  the  prisoner  at 
the  bar,  had  a  conversation  with  him,  told  him  she  recognized 
him,  and  would  have  him  punished  for  housebreaking  and  arson, 
and  that  he  killed  her  to  prevent  her  carrying  her  threat  into 
execution;  that  he  struck  her  a  murderous  blow  with  an  ax, 
if  the  honorable  court  please " 

Palaver  (raising  his  arm  and  shaking  his  right  hand  nerv 
ously)  :  "  I  object,  I  object,  I  object." 

Attorney-general:  "Object  to  what?  You  will  surely  let  me 
state  to  the  court  what  I  expect  to  prove  by  this  witness  ?  " 

Palaver  (at  white  heat)  :  "  No,  sir-ee.  We'll  do  nothing 
of  the  kind,  sir.  Nothing  of  the  kind.  We  insist,  sir,  that  old 
Granny  Bascombe  never  made  any  statement  at  all  after  she  re 
ceived  the  fatal  blow,  and  if  she  made  any  statement,  sir,  it  was 
but  the  incoherent  rambling  of  one  out  of  her  head :  that  she 
did  not  talk  at  all,  sir,  and  was  incapable  of  talking  if  she  had 
wished  to  talk,  and  if  she  did  talk  she  didn't  know  what  she  was 
saying.  And  we  protest,  sir,  we  do  most  emphatically  protest, 
against  having  the  minds  of  this  jury  prejudiced  by  the  astound 
ing  statements  of  counsel.  And  we  ask,  sir,  to  the  end  that  the 
minds  of  the  jurors  be  not  prejudiced  by  such  astounding  state 
ments,  that  the  jury  retire  under  charge  of  the  sheriff  while  we 
discuss  this  matter  before  the  court." 

The  twelve  jurors  having  been  sent  from  the  court-room,  the 
attorney-general  and  Palaver  now  had  it  up  and  down  before  the 
learned  judge  as  to  the  admissibility  of  the  evidence  sought  to 
be  introduced  by  the  State's  officer.  First  Palaver  insisted  that 
Ke  had  a  right  to  qualify  the  witness  and  ascertain  from  her 
whether  her  grandmother  made  any  statement  on  the  last  day 
or  night  of  her  life,  and  if  so  whether  such  statement  was  made 
under  circumstances  that  entitled  it  to  be  introduced  now  as  the 
dying  declaration  of  the  old  lady.  The  court  agreeing  with 
him  as  to  this  he  proceeded  to  interrogate  the  young  lady  in  the 
absence  of  the  jury. 


Miss  Sue  Bascombe,  Takes  the  Stand.         215 

Palaver :  "  I'll  ask  you,  Miss  Batson " 

The  witness,  interrupting :  "  Miss  Bascombe." 

Palaver :  "  Very  well,  then,  Bascombe,  Bascombe.  I'll  ask 
you,  Miss — ah — Bascombe,  whether  or  not  your  grandmother 
made  any  statement  shortly  before  her  death  in  connection  with 
the  matter  at  hand — whether  she  undertook  to  tell  how  the  blow 
resulting  in  her  death  was  given,  and  by  whom  it  was  given?  I'll 
ask  you  if  she  told  at  all  how  the  thing  occurred?  " 

The  witness  :  "  She  did." 

Palaver:  "  I'll  ask  you  whether  at  the  time  she  made  this 
statement  she  was  in  your  opinion  in  her  right  mind — whether 
she  knew  what  she  was  about  ?  " 

The  witness :  "  She  was  entirely  at  herself,  and  fully  conscious 
of  what  she  was  saying." 

Palaver :  "  You  are  quite  sure,  then,  Miss — ah — Batson — Bas 
combe — that  your  grandmother  was  compos  mentis  when  she 
delivered  this  utterance  ?  " 

The  witness :  "  I  do  not  understand  you,  sir." 

Palaver :  "  You  think  the  old  lady  knew  what  she  was  talking 
about?" 

The  witness :  "  I  am  quite  sure  she  did." 

Palaver :  "  I  will  now  ask  you,  Miss — ah — Miss — ah — Bas 
combe,  whether  this  utterance  of  your  grandmother  was  delivered 
in  view  of  approaching  death — whether  she  thought  her  earthly 
existence  was  soon  to  terminate,  and  so  thinking  she  made  to 
those  present  a  dying  declaration  in  order  that  her  testimony  in 
the  case  might  not  be  lost  entirely  ?  " 

The  witness :  "  Why,  no,  I  cannot  say  that  my  grandmother's 
statement  was  made  under  the  impression  that  she  was  soon  to 
die.  On  the  contrary,  she  was  quite  hopeful,  and,  I  think,  ex 
pected  to  recover  from  the  wound  she  received." 

Palaver :  "  Did  she  say  anything  which  would  indicate  to  you 
that  she  either  expected  to  recover  or  considered  her  wound 
fatal?" 

The  witness :  "  Yes ;  when  I  asked  her  a  short  while  before 
her  death  if  she  wasn't  better,  she  replied  that  she  was,  and  ex 
pected  to  continue  to  improve.  And  she  asserted  several  times 
during  the  afternoon  and  night  that  it  was  her  purpose  to  appear 
in  court  and  testify  against  the  prisoner  here." 

Palaver  (inching  his  chair  closer  to  the  witness  and  putting 
his  hand  behind  his  ear  as  if  he  wished  to  lose  not  a  syllable  of 


216  The  K.  K.  K. 

her  reply):  "Ah — ah;  beg  pardon.  Say  that  again,  say  that 
again." 

The  witness :  "  I  say  my  grandmother  did  not  seem  to  consider 
her  wound  fatal,  but  on  the  contrary  expressed  herself  as  con 
fident  that  she  would  recover,  and  more  than  that,  announced 
that  she  expected  to  appear  in  court  and  testify  against  this  man, 
Johan  Ankerstrom." 

Palaver  (waving  his  hand  and  smiling  triumphantly)  :  "  That 
will  do;  that  will  do.  You  may  stand  aside,  Miss — ah — Bass- 
ford." 

The  attorney-general :  "  Wait  a  little,  wait  a  little.  You 
say,  Miss  Bascombe,  that  your  grandmother  was  desperately 
wounded." 

The  witness :     "  She  was  indeed,  sir." 

The  attorney-general :  "  You  all  thought  her  wound  fatal  ?  " 

The  witness :  "  We  certainly  did,  sir." 

The  attorney-general :  "  The  doctor  thought  so?  " 

The  witness :  "  He  said  so  when  he  first  saw  her.  After  a 
while,  though,  he  seemed  to  think  there  was  some  chance  for  her 
life,  and  so  indeed  did  we  all.  She  was  so  strong,  and  so  confi 
dent  herself,  that  she  inspired  us  with  a  little  hope." 

The  attorney-general :  "  Still  her  wound  was  of  such  fearful 
nature  that  there  could  have  been  no  other  reasonable  expectation 
from  the  start  except  that  death  would  follow  ?  " 

The  witness :  "  That  is  certainly  true." 

The  attorney-general :  "  Your  grandmother  in  her  statement 
declared  that  she  recognized  the  prisoner  here  as  her  assailant,  did 
she  not  ?  " 

The  witness :  "  Shall  I  state  what  my  grandmother  said  on 
this  subject?" 

The  attorney-general :  "  Yes,  go  on,  and  tell  what  she  said." 

The  witness :  "  She  said  when  she  saw  the  house  on  fire,  and 
turned  back,  the  prisoner  here  ran  out  to  meet  her,  with  an  ax 
in  his  hand.  She  cried  to  him — I  will  endeavor  to  give  her  exact 
language — '  I  know  you,  you  low-lived  scoundrel,  and  I'll  have  the 
law  on  you  for  this  night's  work/  When  she  said  that  the  pris 
oner  used  some  insulting  expression,  which  my  grandmother  did 
not  repeat,  and  struck  her  a  violent  blow  with  his  ax." 

The  attorney-general :  "  Your  grandmother  recovered  con 
sciousness  some  hours  after  the  blow  was  struck,  and,  as  I  am 
informed,  ma.de  a  statement  to  those  about  her  of  all  the  facts 


Miss  Sue  Bascombe  Takes  the  Stand.         217 

connected  with  the  crime.  I'll  ask  you  if  this  statement  was  a 
clear  and  connected  one,  made  of  her  own  volition,  or  was  it  drawn 
from  her  in  reply  to  frequent  questioning?" 

The  witness :  "  It  was  a  clear  and  connected  statement,  made 
of  her  own  volition.  I  tried  to  induce  her  to  stop,  thinking  so 
much  talking  might  injure  her,  but  she  persisted,  and  would  not 
cease  until  she  had  given  us  all  the  facts  within  her  knowledge. 
She  was  much  incensed  at  the  hanging  of  the  negro,  Kinchen,  by 
the  mob,  and  told  her  story,  I  think,  to  show  what  cruel  injustice 
had  thus  been  done  an  innocent  person." 

The  attorney-general :    "  That  will  do,  Miss  Bascombe." 

Palaver  (addressing  the  court)  :  "  Well,  if  this  is  a  dying  dec 
laration  then  I'm  free  to  say,  if  the  honorable  court  please,  that 
I've  been  in  error  all  my  life  as  to  what  a  dying  declaration  was," 

At  that  the  fun  began,  for  the  attorney-general  promptly  rose 
and  said  if  this  was  not  a  dying  declaration,  then  he  was  badly 
mistaken  as  to  what  a  dying  declaration  was.  Palaver  insisted 
that  according  to  all  the  authorities  a  dying  declaration  could  only 
be  introduced  subsequently  as  evidence  in  court  when  the  declar 
ant  was  in  extremis  at  the  time  of  making  it,  and  not  only  in 
extremis,  but  fully  conscious  of  the  fact  that  death  was  nigh,  and 
in  that  solemn  frame  of  mind  which  would  be  the  necessary  result 
of  such  a  conviction.  The  serious  frame  of  mind  that  would  be 
necessarily  induced  by  the  consciousness  of  approaching  death 
was  the  very  essence  of  a  dying  or  death-bed  declaration. 
The  solemnity  of  such  an  occasion  was  supposed  to  equal 
the  sanctity  of  an  oath  in  open  court,  and  therefore  the  law 
permitted  genuine  dying  declarations  to  be  introduced  as  evi 
dence  where  in  consequence  of  intervening  death  it  was  im 
possible  to  have  the  declarant  sworn  and  examined  in  open  court. 
Now,  here  was  an  old  woman  who  not  only  was  not  influenced 
by  the  solemn  impression  that  she  was  about  to  die,  but  who 
stoutly  persisted  that  she  intended  to  live,  and  further  that  she 
intended  to  come  to  court  and  testify  against  the  prisoner  here. 
Her  statement,  whatever  it  was,  was  certainly  not  considered  by 
her  to  be  a  dying  declaration,  and  therefore  could  not  be  taken 
here  as  a  dying  declaration.  It  would  be  a  contradiction  in  terms 
to  hold  that  she  could  intentionally  deliver  to  those  gathered  about 
her  a  solemn  death -bed  statement  when  she  herself  at  the  time  was 
not  conscious  of  the  fact  that  she  was  upon  her  death-bed.  All 
this  and  much  more  Palaver  urged  with  great  vehemence  before 


218  The  K.  K.  K. 

the  court,  and  to  him  the  attorney-general  with  much  force  and 
logic  did  make  reply. 

The  old  rule,  he  conceded,  had  been  as  insisted  upon  by  the 
counsel  for  the  prisoner,  but  many  of  these  inflexible  old  rules  had  I 
been  modified,  or  done  away  with,  by  modern  decisions.  A  dying  | 
declaration  now  was  a  serious  statement  made  by  one  who  when  1 
making  it  was  actually  at  the  point  of  death,  and  who  was  soon 
afterward  taken  by  death  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court. 
Such  statements,  no  matter  what  might  have  been  the  frame  of 
mind  of  the  person  uttering  them,  should  always  be  critically 
weighed,  since  there  was  no  opportunity  to  examine  the  informant 
in  open  court.  But  at  last  the  reason  for  admitting  them  as  evi 
dence  at  all  was  not  the  fanciful  one  given  by  the  prisoner's 
counsel,  but  arose  from  the  very  necessity  of  the  case.  The  inter 
preters  of  the  law,  in  weighing  the  offer  to  introduce  such  testi 
mony,  found  in  most  cases  that  they  must  either  reject  credible 
statements  of  the  highest  importance  in  the  elucidation  of  the 
issue,  or  they  must  permit,  contrary  to  usage,  the  jury  to  weigh 
as  evidence  matter  that  had  not  been  received  from  the  lips  of 
sworn  witnesses  before  them.  In  the  interest  of  justice  the  most 
liberal  judges  of  the  present  day  chose  the  latter  alternative,  but 
in  so  doing  allowed  the  declarations  received  to  be  thoroughly 
sifted,  so  that  the  jury  might  know  precisely  how  much  impor 
tance  to  attach  to  them.  If  they  were  wrung  from  the  dying 
informant  by  frequent  questioning,  if  they  were  uttered  in  the 
broken  intervals  of  fever,  if  they  were  in  themselves  contradic 
tory,  if  they  were  inconsistent  with  other  indisputable  facts  in 
the  case,  intelligent  jurors  would  attach  but  little  weight  to  them. 
If  they  were  the  clear  and  connected  utterances  of  reliable  per 
sons,  if  they  were  spoken  with  no  other  apparent  motive  than 
a  desire  to  tell  the  truth,  if  they  were  not  improbable  in  them 
selves,  and  not  inconsistent  with  other  established  facts  in  the 
case,  they  would  be  entitled  to,  and  doubtless  would  receive,  much 
consideration  from  the  triers  of  the  cause.  To  say  that  such 
statements  should  not  be  received  at  all  as  evidence  would  be 
oftentimes  to  screen  the  guilty  and  defeat  the  very  purpose  for 
which  criminal  courts  were  organized.  Take  the  case  now  be 
fore  us,  and  see  how  shocking  to  the  conscience  would  be  the 
application  of  the  rule  for  which  the  prisoner's  counsel  contends. 
Here  in  a  retired  country  neighborhood  had  been  committed  the 
double  crimes  of  house-breaking  and  house-burning,  two  of  the 


Miss  Sue  Bascombe  Takes  the  Stand.         219 

gravest  felonies  known  to  the  law.  The  perpetrator  of  these  out 
rages  was  recognized  by  the  brave  old  woman  whose  home  he 
had  ruthlessly  destroyed  at  midnight.  Standing  there  unbe- 
friended  and  alone  with  the  villain,  her  sole  thought  was  that 
the  law  of  her  State  would  avenge  her,  and  she  had  the  courage  to 
tell  him  that  she  would  appeal  to  that  law  against  him.  What 
next  followed?  Why,  if  the  court  please,  to  prevent  her  appeal 
!to  the  courts  of  her  State  he  raised  his  murderous  ax  and  cleft 
her  skull  in  twain.  He  fled,  thinking  he  had  killed  her  where 
she  stood,  but  fortunately  before  she  left  this  earth  she  recovered 
her  strength  a  little,  and  delivered  to  those  about  her  a  plain  un 
varnished  tale,  setting  forth  the  night's  incidents  in  detail  and 
informing  them  of  the  real  author  of  the  crime.  It  is  this  plain 
statement,  which  carried  conviction  with  it,  that  we  >  seek  now  to 
introduce  before  the  jury  as  evidence.  If  your  honor  holds  this 
may  not  be  done,  then  Johan  Ankerstrom  has  accomplished  the 
very  object  he  had  in  view  when  he  slew  the  brave  old  widow  in 
the  glare  of  her  burning  home,  and  he  has  accomplished  it — your 
honor  cannot  be  offended  if  I  say  so — by  the  aid  of  the  court. 

Palaver  replied,  and  the  attorney-general  rejoined,  and  so  they 
had  it,  the  counsel  for  the  State  and  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner, 
for  the  space  of  considerablv  more  than  an  hour.  They  strove 
mightily,  for  each  felt  that  the  final  result  in  all  probability  de 
pended  on  the  decision  of  the  court  as  to  the  admission  or  rejection 
of  this  dying  declaration.  They  talked  at  the  learned  judge  and 
over  the  head  of  Sue  Bascombe,  who  sat  immediately  below  his 
Honor,  and  facing  in  the  same  direction  as  he.  It  would  have 
been  trying  to  some  young  women  to  sit  for  such  a  length  of  time 
bolt  upright  in  a  high  arm-chair  fronting  two  pugnacious  lawyers 
whose  arguments  were  addressed,  so  far  as  the  bystanders  could 
determine,  as  much  to  herself  as  the  court.  Miss  Bascombe, 
however,  resigned  herself  calmly  to  the  situation  and  seemed  to 
be  much  interested  in  the  discussion.  She  had  never  before 
heard  of  a  dying  declaration,  and  did  not  understand  the  legal 
significance  attached  to  the  term.  Now  she  was  much  concerned 
in  finding  out  whether  it  was  essential  that  persons  making  such 
declaration  should  know  themselves  to  be  in  extremis  at  the  time 
of  delivering  the  utterance,  or  whether  it  was  sufficient  if  they 
actually  were  in  extremis  and  told  a  connected  story  to  those  in 
attendance.  She  weighed  the  arguments  pro  and  con  as  the  dis 
cussion  proceeded,  and  by  the  time  the  lawyers  were  short  of 


220  The  K.  K.  K. 

ideas  and  out  of  breath  had  reached  the  conclusion  in  her  own 
mind  that  by  all  the  rules  of  justice  and  common  sense  her 
grandmother's  statement  should  be  allowed  to  go  to  the  jury  as 
evidence.  So  the  learned  judge,  sitting  just  behind  her,  ruled 
when  it  finally  came  his  turn  to  speak,  and  Sue  was  glad  to  find 
so  sensible  a  person  holding  the  scales  of  justice. 


The  Judge  Sentences  the  Prisoner.          221 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  JUDGE  SENTENCES  THE  PRISONER  TO  HANG  SPEEDILY ;  BUT  THE 
LATTER  GRANTS  HIMSELF  A  RESPITE  OF  A  YEAR  OR  SO. 

ANKERSTROM  during  all  the  ups  and  downs  of  the  long  trial 
maintained  his  same  stolid  demeanor  and  seemed  to  be  not  very 
particular  which  side  won  in  the  frequent  tilts  between  Palaver 
and  the  attorney-general.  He  appeared  to  rather  enjoy  the  whole 
as  a  free  show  gotten  up  for  his  benefit,  and  grinned  quite  often 
at  the  discomforture  of  his  own  counsel  when  some  thrust  of  the 
State's  officer  brought  the  former  to  grief.  The  theory  of  the 
defense  was  that  the  right  man  had  already  been  hung  for  the 
murder,  and  Palaver  brought  forward  every  circumstance  that 
would  assist  him  in  getting  this  notion  into  the  heads  of  the  jury. 
He  bothered  the  witnesses  no  little  as  to  the  precise  words  uttered 
by  old  Mrs.  Bascombe  when  she  told  of  the  tragedy.  "  Are  you 
certain  she  said  that?  "  "  Now,  didn't  she  say  this?  "  he  would 
inquire  again  and  again  in  his  most  aggressive  manner.  ^He 
succeeded  in  working  one  or  two  of  those  whom  he  badgered  into 
a  display  of  temper,  and  that  was  nuts  for  Palaver. 

"  Now  tell  me,  sir,  just  how  this  thing  was,"  he  said  proyok- 
ingly  to  one  irascible  witness.  "Just  begin  at  the  beginning, 
and  tell  me  all  about  it." 

"  I've  done  told  you  three  times,  and  I'm  not  going  to  tell  you 
any  more." 

"  I'll  ask  you,  sir,  if  the  old  lady  didn't  say  she  thought  it  was 
Ankerstrom,  but  it  might  have  been  Kinchen?" 

"  No,  she  didn't." 

"  Didn't  she  say  positively  at  first  that  it  was  Kinchen  ?  " 

"  No,  she  didn't." 

"  Then  how  came  you  to  hang  Kinchen  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  have  no  hand  in  it." 

"  You  didn't,  hey  ?    Well  then,  sir,  who  did  have  a  hand  in  it  ?  " 


222  The.  K.  K.  K. 

"  I  dunno." 

"  Wasn't  you  there  that  night?  " 

"  I  was  standin'  round,  jest  for  curiosity  like." 

"  You  didn't  take  any  part  in  the  proceedings  ? '' 

"  I  never  teched  the  nigger  from  fust  to  last." 

"  Didn't  you  encourage  others  to  hang  him  ?  " 

"  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  I  tell  you." 

"  What  was  you  doing  there  ?  " 

"  None  of  your  business." 

"  What  were  you  doing  out  from  home  that  night?" 

"  No  odds  what  I  was  doing." 

"  You  went  to  bed  at  the  usual  hour  that  night,  didn't  you?  " 

"  Yes,  I  did." 

"  You  got  up  afterwards  and  left  home  ?  " 
.   "  Yes,  I  did." 

"  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  getting  up  out  of  bed  and  rambling 
about  over  the  country  at  night  ?  " 

"  No,  I  ain't.  I  tend  to  my  own  business  and  leave  other  folks 
to  tend  to  theirs." 

"  You  were  '  'tendin'  to  your  business.'  then,  when  you  left  home 
that  night?" 

"  Yes,  I  was." 

"  Your  business  was  to  go  out  and  help  hang  Sandy  Kinchen  ?  " 

"  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  I  tell  you." 

"  Don't  you  know  you  were  the  foremost  man  in  the  crowd  that 
night?" 

"Who,  me?" 

•"  Yes,  you." 

The  witness  here  reared  back  in  his  chair,  st.uck  his  thumbs 
under  his  galluses  and  stared  at  the  lawyer  ferociously  for  a 
few  moments.  "  Who  said  that  ?  "  he  inquired  of  the  attorney. 

"  Never  mind  who  said  it.     I'll  ask  you  if  it  isn't  a  fact  ?  " 

"  No,  it  ain't  no  fact,"  rejoined  the  witness,  exasperated  beyond 
all  measure.  "  It's  a  infernal  lie,  and  I  can  whip  the  man  that 
started  it.  If  you  want  me  I'll  go  further  than  that." 

"  Well,  go  further." 

"  I  b'leive,"  said  the  witness,  pointing  his  finger  at  the  lawyer, 
"  you're  the  man  that  started  it." 

Here  there  was  a  great  guffaw  behind  the  bar,  in  which  the 
attorney-general  and  most  of  the  lawyers  joined  heartily. 

"  If  the  court  please,"  said  Palaver,  rising  and  addressing  the 


The  Judge  Sentences  the  Prisoner.  223 

judge  with  dignity,  "  I  would  like  to  have  this  witness  respond  to 
my  questions  without  indulging  in  billingsgate  here  in  the  court 
room.  It  is  difficult,  if  the  honorable  court  please,  to  make  prog 
ress  in  a  trial  when  witnesses  persist  in  using  disrespectful  lan 
guage  toward  counsel  employed  in  the  case/' 

"  You  begun  it,"  interrupted  the  witness. 

"  Mr.  Sheriff,"  remarked  Palaver,  addressing  that  functionary 
severely,  "  will  you  please  give  us  order  in  the  court-room  ?  " 

The  sheriff  here  tapped  the  obstreperous  witness  on  the 
shoulder  and  cautioned  him  to  hold  his  tongue  or  he  might  find 
himself  a  sufferer  from  his  rashness.  The  judge  hastily  folded 
the  newspaper  which  he  had  been  quietly  perusing  for  half  an 
hour  and  lectured  the  witness  soundly  for  his  unbecoming  be 
havior.  When  this  was  through  Palaver  took  him  in  hand  again, 
and  exasperated  him  again,  and  again  appealed  to  the  court  to 
make  him  behave.  By  the  time  this  racket  had  been  worked  on 
him  a  few  times  the  witness  was  in  good  fighting  trim,  and  when 
he  was  finally  dismissed  he  took  occasion  to  pass  by  the  chair  of 
Palaver,  and  informed  him  in  tones  not  particularly  confidential 
that  he  would  like  to  see  him  just  outside  the  door  when  court 
adjourned.  The  lawyer  did  not  respond  at  all  to  this  pleasing 
invitation.  At  the  noon  recess  he  left  the  court-room  by  a  side 
door,  walking  arm  in  arm  with  a  brother  attorney,  and  continued 
busily  discussing  with  him  some  proposition  of  law  until  the  two 
reached  the  tavern. 

The  trial  lasted  more  than  a  week,  and  every  inch  of  ground 
was  fiercely  contested  by  the  opposing  attorneys.  Palaver,  after 
the  admission  of  the  dying  declaration  of  the  widow  Bascombe, 
fought  with  desperation.  He  was  a  most  resourceful  man,  and 
his  genius  always  shone  resplendent  when  his  case  was  well-nigh 
hopeless.  His  client  possessed  a  countenance  that  would  have 
jusified  a  jury  in  inflicting  capital  punishment  upon  him  if  there 
had  been  no  facts  upon  which  to  base  such  a  verdict.  With  the 
damning  proof  against  him  here,  however,  his  conviction,  to  every 
one  except  his  sanguine  attorney,  seemed  a  foregone  conclusion. 
Day  by  day  the  case  dragged  on.  Witness  after  witness  testified, 
and  when  all  were  through  the  attorneys  in  able  arguments  be 
fore  the  jury  reviewed  the  evidence,  gave  prominence  to  such 
parts  as-  they  wished  to  bring  out,  skilfully  hid  damaging  facts, 
placed  violent  construction  upon  many  plain  words  in  the  English 
language,  abused  and  flattered  the  unfortunates  who  had  been 


224  The  K.  K.  K. 

called  to  testify,  and  on  the  whole  so  befuddled  the  jurors  that 
several  of  these  finally  were  at  a  loss  to  know  whom  they  were 
trying,  whether  the  prisoner,  the  witnesses,  or  the  judge. 

The  behavior  of  Absalom  Slowboy  during  the  progress  of  the 
trial  was  such  as  to  excite  both  notice  and  comment  from  his 
brother  attorneys.  On  the  morning  after  Miss  Bascombe  testified 
he  came  into  court  with  his  Sunday  clothes  on  and  his  hair  parted 
in  the  middle.  Oh  the  following  morning  he  wore  a  button-hole 
bouquet  and  carried  on  his  open  countenance  a  conscious  expres 
sion,  which  indicated  that  he  thought  he  was  being  observed. 
Once  while  the  young  lady  was  on  the  stand  he  undertook  to  pro 
pound  a  few  questions  to  her,  but  was  so  embarrassed  by  her  calm 
replies  that  he  abandoned  the  effort  in  confusion.  When  it  came 
his  turn  to  address  the  court  and  jury  he  forgot  himself,  and 
made  a  strong  legal  argument,  but  was  again,  toward  the  con 
clusion,  nearly  knocked  off  his  pins  by  the  discovery  that  he  had 
the  close  attention  of  Miss  Bascombe.  Altogether  his  deportment, 
while  not  in  the  least  discreditable,  was  unaccountable,  and  perhaps 
in  all  the  crowded  court-room  there  was  but  one  individual  who 
thoroughly  comprehended  the  why  and  the  wherefore  of  his 
singular  behavior.  That  individual,  I  should  perhaps  add  by  way 
of  explanation,  was  not  Absalom  Slowboy  himself. 

All  things  in  this  world  must  have  an  end,  and  it  came  to  pass 
after  several  days  of  weary  forensic  struggle  that  the  judge  late 
one  afternoon  delivered  his  charge  to  the  jury.  It  was  a  long 
document,  defining  the  law  as  to  murder  in  the  first  degree, 
murder  in  the  second  degree,  voluntary  manslaughter,  involun 
tary  manslaughter,  excusable  homicide,  assault  and  battery,  prov 
ocation,  extenuation,  justification,  malice  aforethought,  reason 
able  doubt,  insanity,  delirium  tremens,  and  divers  other  matters 
having  little  if  any  bearing  that  the  jurors  could  see  upon  the 
main  question  at  issue.  This  the  learned  judge  did,  not  that 
he  thought  all  these  things  were  pertinent  to  the  issue,  but  that 
frequent  reversals  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  had  brought 
him  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  better  to  have  too  much  in  his 
charges  than  too  little.  When  he  had  finished  he  sent  the  jury 
to  the  tavern  for  the  night  and  adjourned  the  court. 

The  following  morning  at  nine  o'clock  court  met  pursuant  to 
adjournment,  present  and  presiding,  the  honorable  judge  of  the 
Twenty-second  Judicial  Circuit  of  Tennessee.  Whereupon  came 
the  jury  before  impaneled  in  the  cause,  to  wit,  John  Doe,  Richard 


The  Judge  Sentences  the  Prisoner.  225 

Roe,  etc.,  and  the  defendant  in  custody  appeared  at  the  bar  of  the 
court. 

Palaver  and  all  the  attorneys,  as  well  as  most  of  the  bystanders 
behind  the  bar,  rose  to  their  feet  as  the  jurors  filed  into  the  court 
room,  and  stood  watching  anxiously  the  face  of  each  member  as  he 
responded  to  his  name  at  the  call  of  the  clerk. 

"  Have  you  agreed,  gentlemen  ? "  inquired  the  clerk  of  the 
foreman  of  the  jury  when  the  roll  call  was  finished. 

"  We  have,"  responded  the  foreman. 

"  What  is  your  verdict  ?  " 

"We  find  the  defendant  guilty  of  murder  in  the  first  degree  as 
charged  in  the  bill  of  indictment." 

"  So  say  you  all,  gentlemen  ?  "  further  inquired  the  clerk ;  and 
each  of  the  other  jurors  bowed  his  head  in  acquiescence. 

There  was  a  slight  demonstration  of  approval  from  behind  the 
bar,  which  was  instantly  checked  by  the  sheriff. 

"  Poll  the  jury,  Mr.  Clerk,"  demanded  the  attorney-general. 

"  Oh,  never  mind,"  said  Palaver. 

"  Poll  the  jury,  Mr.  Clerk,"  again  demanded  the  attorney- 
general. 

The  clerk  then  called  upon  each  of  the  jurors  by  name,  and 
each  when  interrogated  declared  that  he  assented  to  the  verdict  an 
nounced  by  the  foreman. 

The  law  did  not  demand  the  precaution  of  having  each  juror 
speak  for  himself,  but  if  this  had  not  been  done  in  the  present 
instance  Palaver  would  soon  have  had  the  affidavits  of  half  of  them 
to  the  effect  that  they  were  not  entirely  satisfied  with  the  verdict 
as  rendered,  but  would  have  preferred  some  other  solution  of  the 
knotty  problem  before  them.  Such  affidavits  are  not  difficult  to 
procure,  for  in  the  composition  of  every  jury  will  be  found  certain 
good-natured  individuals  who  while  in  consultation  will  agree 
to  any  sort  of  verdict  to  oblige  their  fellows,  and  when  subse 
quently  discharged  will  sign  their  names  to  any  sort  of  paper  to 
oblige  somebody  else.  To  head  off  such  amiable  individuals  a 
careful  prosecuting  attorney  will  in  every  grave  case  require  each 
juror  to  speak  out  for  himself  in  open  court,  so  that  if  any  one  of 
them  should  consent  afterward  to  alter  his  verdict  he  would,  as 
Dogberry  says,  write  himself  down  an  ass. 

As  soon  as  the  jury  was  discharged,  and  while  most  of  the 
members  were  still  in  the  court-room,  Palaver  got  the  ear  of  the 
court,  and  asked  for  a  new  trial,  saying  he  was  utterly  astounded 


226  The  K.  K.  K. 

at  the  verdict  just  rendered.  The  judge  inquired  if  he  wished  to 
argue  his  motion  for  a  new  trial,  and  the  exasperated  attorney 
replied  that  he  did  not  wish  to  do  so  at  length.  He  had  no  other 
objection  to  urge  against  the  verdict,  he  said,  than  that  it  was  in 
the  teeth  of  law  and  justice.  The  learned  judge  at  that  over 
ruled  the  motion  for  a  new  trial.  Whereupon  the  lawyer  moved 
the  court  in  arrest  of  judgment,  saying  his  only  ground  for  such 
motion  was  that  the  verdict  was  in  the  teeth  of  law  and  justice, 
and  410  judgment  could  be  pronounced  by  the  court  upon  it. 
Whereupon  the  learned  judge  overruled  the  motion  in  arrest  of 
judgment,  saying  he  thought  judgment  could  be  pronounced 
upon  it,  and  would  be  at  the  proper  time.  Whereupon  the  attor 
ney,  having  no  other  motions  to  fall  back  on,  sat  down  in  his  chair 
and  glared  at  the  court  for  a  while,  and  then  bent  his  glance  down 
ward  toward  the  floor  like  a  deeply  injured  individual  who  has  it 
not  in  his  power  to  help  himself. 

Later  in  the  day  Ankerstrom  was  brought  to  the  bar  of  the 
court,  and  the  judge  pronounced  sentence  of  death  upon  him. 
Palaver  by  this  time  had  recovered  his  equanimity,  and  stood 
close  by  his  client  with  a  confident  smile  on  his  face.  The  voice 
of  the  judge  trembled  as  he  addressed  the  prisoner,  for  it  is  a 
serious  thing  to  look  a  fellow  creature  in  the  face  and  pronounce 
words  which  when  carried  into  execution  will  end  his  earthly 
existence.  To  coolly  sentence  a  human  being  to  death  is  a  good 
deal  like  committing  murder  in  the  first  degree  yourself,  and  the 
humane  judge  in  this  case  evidently  discharged  with  the  utmost 
reluctance  the  painful  task  that  the  law  imposed  on  him.  Anker 
strom,  however,  stood  unmoved,  and  grinned  in  the  judge's  face 
as  in  deeply  solemn  tones  he  heard  his  own  doom  pronounced. 
He  had  been  no  doubt  buoyed  up  for  the  ordeal  by  his  attorney's 
assurance  that  the  Supreme  Court  would  set  aside  the  verdict  that 
had  been  rendered  against  him,  and  he  knew  at  any  rate  that  an 
appeal  was  his  privilege,  and  that  the  hangman's  grip  would  not 
be  felt  about  his  throat  just  yet.  Having  a  little  more  time  on 
earth  he  could  afford  to  be  insolent  for  the  present,  and  so  he  dis 
torted  his  hideous  features  into  a  disrespectful  grin,  and  listened 
as  if  to  the  recital  of  a  good  joke,  when  the  judge  in  measured 
words  informed  him  that  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  on  a  certain  Friday 
not  far  off  he  would  be  taken  from  his  cell  in  the  county  jail  to 
a  gallows  that  would  be  erected  for  him,  and  there  hung  by  the 
neck  until  he  was  dead. 


The  Judge  Sentences  the  Prisoner.  227 

When  sentence  had  been  pronounced  Palaver  in  the  blandest 
tone  imaginable  prayed  an  appeal  to  the  next  term  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Tennessee,  which  prayer  the  judge — not  having  it  in 
his  power  to  refuse — was  pleased  to  grant.  It  was  understood 
between  counsel  that  the  bi!4  of  exceptions  would  be  made  ready 
for  the  judge's  signature  by  the  following  Saturday,  that  being 
the  last  day  of  the  term,  and  the  prisoner,  Ankerstrom,  was 
thereupon  remanded  to  jail. 

As  he  passed  out  of  the  court-room  in  custody  of  the  sheriff  a 
little  incident  occurred  which  removed  the  ugly  smirk  from  the 
prisoner's  face  and  showed  him  to  the  crowd  as  the  ill-natured 
brute  he  was.  Pete  Kinchen  and  his  little  dog  were  among 
the  idlers  in  the  lower  hall,  and  as  Jineral  Beauregard  caught 
sight  of  his  old  enemy  approaching  he  first  cocked  his  eye  at  him 
to  make  sure  he  was  not  mistaken,  and  then  making  a  sudden  dash 
upon  him,  gripped  him  with  his  sharp  teeth  by  the  calf  of  the  leg. 
Cross-eyed  Jack  raised  a  savage  yell  and  plunged  after  the  dog, 
who  had  wisely  taken  to  his  heels  as  soon  as  he  tasted  his  enemy's 
blood.  The  sheriff  pursued  his  prisoner  and  brought  him  to  a 
halt,  whereupon  the  latter  stamped  his  feet,  raved,  and  fell  into 
such  an  ungovernable  fit  of  passion  as  shocked  and  astonished 
all  those  about  him.  Pete  Kinchen  retreated  precipitately,  and 
at  a  safe  distance  kept  a  fearful  eye  on  the  brute,  but  Jineral 
Beauregard  fled  far  beyond  the  court-house  premises,  and  the  two 
friends  did  not  meet  again  until  late  that  evening,  when  as  the 
negro  lad  was  leaving  town  a  sharp-nosed  fox  terrier  unexpectedly 
joined  him  in  the  suburbs. 


228  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

IN  WHICH  THERE  IS  MUCH  RASH  COUNSEL,  AND  SOME  SAGE  COUN 
SEL,  FOLLOWED  BY  A  PRUDENT  CONCLUSION. 

THE  territory  which  comprises  the  State  of  Tennessee,  like  that 
which  embraced  ancient  Gaul,  is  divided  into  three  parts.  These 
are  officially  recognized  by  the  constitution  and  statute  laws,  and 
are  there  termed  the  Grand  Divisions  of  the  State.  All  that 
section  lying  east  of  the  range  of  Cumberland  Mountains  is  styled 
East  Tennessee ;  that  lying  between  this  range  of  mountains  and 
the  Tennessee  River  is  called  Middle  Tennessee ;  that  lying  west 
of  the  Tennessee  River  is  called  West  Tennessee.  The  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State  is  a  perambulating  body,  sitting  during  the  late 
summer  and  fall  months  at  Knoxville  in  East  Tennessee ;  during 
the  winter  months  at  Nashville  in  Middle  Tennessee ;  and  during 
the  spring  and  early  summer  at  Jackson  in  West  Tennessee. 
When  Johan  Ankerstrom  therefore  appealed  through  his  attor 
ney  from  the  sentence  of  the  circuit  judge  inflicting  the  death 
penalty  upon  him,  he  by  the  exercise  of  this  constitutional  right 
suspended  the  execution  of  the  sentence  until  at  least  the  follow 
ing  December.  The  Supreme  Court  did  not  meet  at  Nashville 
until  the  first  Monday  of  that  month,  and  as  it  would  find  appeals 
awaiting  it  from  every  county  in  the  middle  division  of  the  State 
the  probability  was  that  the  Ankerstrom  case  would  not  be  reached 
until  some  weeks  later  than  the  first  of  December,  perhaps  not  until 
the  spring  of  the  following  year,  as  the  court  at  Nashville  usually 
adjourned  in  April.  Cross-eyed  Jack  could  therefore  afford  to 
draw  a  sigh  of  relief  when  his  lawyer  informed  him  that  although 
the  unrighteous  circuit  judge  might  order  him  to  be  hung  by  the 
neck  in  one  brief  month  from  the  death  sentence,  he  had  it  in  his 
power,  without  asking  anybody's  leave,  to  lengthen  that  month 
into  almost,  if  not  quite,  a  year.  Many  good  people  would  die 
natural  deaths  in  a  year,  and  Tohan  Ankerstrom  himself,  if  he  had 
been  correctly  informed,  would  have  to  die  sometime.  Therefore 


Much  Rash  Counsel,  and  Some  Sage  Counsel.  229 

why  should  he  foolishly  worry  now  over  a  fate  which  certainly 
would  not  befall  him  till  nearly  a  twelvemonth  had  rolled  away, 
and  which  might  never  befall  him  at  all.  Hope  springs  eternal 
in  the  human  breast,  and  the  hangman's  grip,  which  seemed  to 
tighten  about  his  throat  when  he  heard  the  jury's  verdict,  now 
grew  so  lax  that  he  swaggered  and  grinned  as  he  left  the  court 
room,  thereby  winning  for  himself  with  some  thoughtless  people 
the  reputation  of  being  a  very  courageous  sort  of  fellow. 

Even  if  the  brutal  malefactor  had  been  inclined  to  give  way  to 
despondency  the  buoyancy  of  his  sanguine  attorney  would  cer 
tainly  have  revived  fading  hope  in  his  bosom. 

"  I  tell  you  what,"  cried  Palaver  to  a  group  of  brother  attor 
neys  and  others  when  court  had  adjourned,  "  I  wouldn't  have 
had  it  happen  otherwise  for  the  best  horse  in  town.  It's  just 
exactly  as  it  should  be,  and  couldn't  have  turned  out  better  if  I 
had  fixed  it  all  myself.  It  will  be  next  January  at  the  very  earliest 
before  the  Supreme  Court  can  reach  this  case.  Then  they  are  dead 
sure  to  reverse — they  couldn't  help  it  if  they  would— and  the 
papers  will  get  back  down  here  about  next  May.  The  clerk  up 
there  of  course  will  not  send  us  formal  notice  of  the  decision  until 
after  the  minutes  of  the  term  are  signed,  which  will  be  sometime 
in  April.  Having  a  lot  of  this  sort  of  thing  to  do  it  will  be  May 
before  he  gets  to  us,  so  that  the  case  will  stand  for  trial  again  be 
fore  a  jury  in  this  county  at  the  June  term  next  year.  By  that 
time  the  prejudice  against  my  man  will  have  died  out,  witnesses 
and  everybody  else  will  have  lost  interest  in  the  case,  and  I'll  get 
an  acquittal  as  easy  as  winkin'.  No  doubt  about  it.  Not  a  bit,  I 
tell  you ;  not  a  damned  bit." 

"  Suppose,  Colonel,"  asked  a  doubting  Thomas,  "  the  Supreme 
Court  should  affirm  the  verdict  just  rendered?  " 

"  I'll  suppose  nothing  of  the  kind,  sir;  nothing  of  the  kind,  sir. 
Nobody  but  an  infernal  fool  would  suppose  anything  of  the  kind, 
sir.  Will  the  Supreme  Court  of  this  State  eat  its  own  words,  sir  ? 
Will  it  overturn  a  line  of  decisions  as  long  as  the  history  of  Eng 
land,  sir?" 

"  Our  circuit  judge  is  no  fool,"  protested  the  individual  who 
was  inclined  to  take  issue  with  the  Colonel. 

Colonel  Palaver  looked  cautiously  about  him  before  replying. 
"  Gentlemen,"  he  began,  lowering  his  voice  to  an  almost  con 
fidential  tone,  "  I  don't  wish  to  be  disrespectful,  but  the  old  man's 
time  i§  nearly  out.  Just  at  present,  you  see,  he  would  rather  be 


230  The  K.  K.  K. 

reversed  by  the  Supreme  Court  than  bring  down  on  himself  the 
wrath  of  two  or  three  hundred  voters.  It's  all  right  though,  gen 
tlemen — a-11-11  right.  If  my  man  was  turned  loose  right  now 
these  Marrowbone  fellows  would  kill  him  if  they  had  to  tear  the 
court-house  down  to  get  at  him.  Next  year  l\e'll  go  forth  a  free 
man,  and  there'll  be  none  to  molest  him  or  make  him  afraid. 
None  to  molest  him,  sir ;  not  one,  not  one,  not  one.  Not  a  single 
one,  sir;  not  a  damned  one,  sir.  Mark  my  prediction,  sir;  mark 
my  prediction.  The  State  of  Tennessee  will  board  Johan  Anker- 
strom  another  year,  and  then  he'll  be  at  liberty  to  go  wherever  he 
chooses." 

Teddy  Mclntosh  and  Templeton  happened  to  be  passing  hur 
riedly  through  the  lower  hall  of  the  court-house  and  heard  the 
confident  address  of  the  lawyer  to  the  group  of  bystanders  about 
him.  That  is,  they  heard  the  most  of  it,  but  left  in  disgust  before 
the  lawyer  ended,  and  soon  had  mounted  their  horses  and  taken 
their  road  homeward. 

Palaver  had  another  auditor,  however,  who  was  by  no  means  dis 
gusted  with  his  remarks,  but  heard  him  eagerly,  and  most  atten 
tively,  to  the  end.  This  was  an  old  gentleman  of  brisk  manner,  who 
being  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  assemblage,  and  little  of  stature, 
could  neither  see  nor  be  seen  by  the  speaker.  While  the  lawyer 
was  freely  giving  vent  to  his  feelings,  and  making  confident  pre 
dictions  as  to  what  was  going  to  transpire  at  the  expiration  of  a 
twelvemonth,  the  agile  old  gentleman  smiled,  and  smiled,  and 
bobbed  up  and  down  like  a  supple  jack,  and  spread  his  hands  and 
worked  his  countenance  into  manifold  expressions,  all  indicating 
hearty  approval  of  the  sentiments  being  uttered.  When  the  attor 
ney  had  concluded  the  little  old  man  was  no  longer  able  to  work 
off  his  enthusiasm  by  dumb  show,  but  apparently  felt  impelled  to 
voice  his  ecstacy. 

"  Hear  de  vords  uff  de  vise  man,"  he  proclaimed  as  Palaver  was 
leaving  the  court-house.  "  Hear  him  vot  he  say,  shentlemun, 
for  he  speak  de  trute.  A  leetle  vile  de  vicked  vill  perrosper.  A 
leetle  vile  dey  flourish  like  de  ger-reen  pay  tree ;  den  dey  gits  up- 
thripped  and  down  dey  go.  But  de  plessing  off  Cot  vill  pe  upon 
de  righteous  man,  and  in  de  eend  he  vill  holt  his  head  up  and 
valk  proud.  Mark  dat,  mine  frients,  mine  coot  Kerristian 
frients.  It  is  de  eend  vot  tells  de  tale.  Pay  me  attention,  mine 
coot  Kerristian  frients.  Dis  day  you  may  pe  in  deep  throoble,  but 
vait  for  de  eend,  vait  for  de  eend.  Pime-py  terreckerly  you  pe 


Much  Rash  Counsel,  and  Some  Sage  Counsel.  231 

free  as  de  'appy  pird.  Zo,  mine  frients,  let  effry  man  pe  coot.  It 
is  de  best  vay.  Let  him  luff  his  neighbor  and  keep  all  de  ten 
coommanderments,  and  de  plessing  uff  Cot  vill  pe  upon  him,  and 
de  Shuper-eme  Court  uff  de  State  vill  stand  py  him." 

As  the  little  old  gentleman  delivered  this  heartfelt  though 
slightly  scattering  address,  a  few  of  those  who  heard  him  whis 
pered  to  others  that  he  was  the  father  of  the  individual  that  had 
just  been  convicted,  and  moreover  that  ne  was  a  very  pious  old 
man,  highly  esteemed  in  the  country  from  which  he  hailed. 

Teddy  Mclntosh  and  Templeton,  as  they  journeyed  homeward, 
fell  naturally  into  discourse  upon  the  long  trial,  and  the  appeal 
from  the  verdict  of  the  jury,  and  the  lawyer's  confident  prediction 
as  to  what  the  outcome  of  this  appeal  would  be.  They  were  both 
disheartened  at  the  certainty  of  another  year's  delay,  and  by  the 
strong  probability,  as  they  thought,  that  the  murderer  of  the  widow 
Bascombe  would  eventually  escape  the  gallows. 

"  What's  the  use  of  waiting  any  longer  ?  "  cried  Teddy  Mclntosh 
impatiently.  "  Didn't  you  hear  what  that  infernal  old  lawyer 
said?  Another  full  year  must  roll  round,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  that  Cross-eyed  Jack  will  go  scot 
free  instead  of  being  made  to  suffer  for  his  devilish  deed.  Things 
are  going  to  the  bad  in  our  country  because  all  the  rascals,  black 
and  white,  have  concluded  they  can't  be  punished.  I  say  let's 
prove  to  'em  that  a  monstrous  crime  like  the  murder  of  the  widow 
Bascombe  can  be  punished,  and  will  be  punished,  if  not  by  lawful 
means  then  by  good  citizens  outside  of  the  law." 

"  I'm  half  inclined  to  agree  with  you,"  replied  Mr.  Bob  Lee 
Templeton.  "  Once  I  was  dead  against  you  fellows  for  assuming 
to  take  the  law  into  your  own  hands,  but  now  I  see  you  have  a 
good  deal  of  reason  on  your  side.  That  was  a  dreadful  mistake 
in  the  Kinchen  matter,  but  if  we'd  had  our  klan  organized  then 
Kinchen  wouldn't  have  been  hung." 

"  True  enough,"  responded  Teddy.  "  We  did  go  off  half  cocked 
that  time,  as  you  say,  but  nobody  can  accuse  us  of  being  in  too  big 
a  hurry  if  we  throttle  Cross-eyed  Jack  a  year  after  the  old  woman 
he  murdered  has  been  put  under  the  ground.  His  crime  has  been 
most  abundantly  proven  in  open  court.  Twelve  jurors  have  set  on 
him,  and  pronounced  him  guilty;  the  old  judge  has  sentenced  him 
to  be  hung ;  and  still,  it  seems,  the  law  can't  make  up  its  mind  to 
choke  the  wind  out  of  him.  I'm  ready  if  the  law  ain't,  and  I  say  if 
we're  ever  going  to  do  anything  the  time  has  come  for  us.  to  act." 


232  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  I'm  strongly  inclined  to  be  with  you,"  cried  Mr.  Bob  Lee 
Templeton. 

"  When  I  thought  of  that  baboon-looking  devil  striking  down 
the  good  old  widow  Bascombe  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  and 
running  Miss  Sue  off  to  the  woods  barefooted,  I  was  a  mind  to 
pistol  him  right  there  in  the  court-house.  And  I'm  a  mind  now, 
by  Jupiter,  to  make  cold  meat  of  the  black-hearted  scamp  just  as 
soon  as  ever,  by  fair  means  or  foul,  we  can  lay  hands  on  him." 

"  I'm  with  you,"  cried  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

4  Then  we'll  get  five  of  our  men  to  sign  a  petition  asking  the 
Grand  Cyclops  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  klan.  At  that  meeting, 
no  matter  what  Ran  Pearson  may  say,  we'll  detail  a  dozen  trusty 
fellows  to  take  this  murderous  Dutchman  out  of  jail  and  hang 
him.  I'll  be  one  of  the  dozen." 

"  How  shall  we  get  him  out  of  jail  ?  "  inquired  Templeton. 

"  Where  there's  a  will  there's  a  way,"  responded  Teddy.  "  If 
folks  are  in  dead  earnest  they  can  do  most  anything." 

The  speaker  being  in  dead  earnest  it  was  not  many  days  before 
a  request  in  writing,  signed  by  the  requisite  number  of  members, 
was  presented  to  the  august  individual  styled  The  Grand  Cyclops 
of  the  Klan,  asking  him  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  brotherhood  to 
consider  business  of  pressing  importance.  In  about  two  weeks 
they  assembled  on  the  summit  of  Dead  Man's  Knob,  and  with 
much  earnestness  debated  the  question  that  Mclntosh  presented  for 
their  consideration.  The  remarks  made  by  lawyer  Palaver  were 
faithfully  reported  and  commented  upon  witih  much  asperity. 
There  was  intense  indignation  in  the  community  now  over  the 
law's  delay,  and  a  profound  conviction,  whether  well  or 
ill  founded,  that  the  verdict  recently  rendered  would  not 
be  permitted  to  stand,  but  would  be  reversed  upon  one 
of  those  legal  quibbles  which  were  always  available  to 
shrewd  attorneys  who  were  employed  to  shield  the  guilty. 
Even  if  it  was  certain,  it  was  urged,  that  the  judgment 
against  Ankerstrom  would  be  affirmed  it  would  be  much  better 
to  send  him  out  of  the  world  at  once,  and  thus  teach  a  wholesome 
lesson  to  other  tramps  and  vagabonds  who  were  prowling  about  the 
country,  and  who  were  fast  being  educated  into  the  idea  that  they 
could  commit  any  kind  of  outrage  with  impunity.  But  as  it  was 
more  than  doubtful  what  the  decision  of  the  supreme  tribunal  of 
the  State  would  be,  it  was  certainly  incumbent  on  those  who  had 
banded  together  for  the  suppression  of  crime  to  assume  the  re- 


Much  Rash  Counsel,  and  Some  Sage  Counsel.  233 

sponsibility  for  the  punishment  of  this  guilty  scoundrel,  and  not 
wait  a  year  longer  in  the  hope  that  the  law  might  at  the  expiration 
of  that  time  see  fit  to  execute  its  own  mandate. 

Pearson  and  his  two  coadjutors  listened  gravely  while  speedy 
action  was  being  urged,  and  so  vehement  was  the  demand  that  the 
klan  should  not  procrastinate  longer,  that  it  was  difficult  for  the 
three  judicial  officers  to  stem  the  torrent  of  indignation  and  an 
nounce  unequivocally  that  they  would  give  their  sanction  to  no 
action  in  the  Ankerstrom  matter  until  after  the  decision  of  the 
Supreme  Court.  Trying  as  the  delay  had  been  Pearson  was  de 
cidedly  of  opinion  that  the  murderer  of  Mrs.  Bascombe  should 
not  be  taken  from  the  custody  of  the  law  and  hung  by  an  irre 
sponsible  body  of  men  until  it  was  plainly  demonstrated  that  pun 
ishment  would  never  be  administered  through  the  regular  legal 
channels.  He  deemed  it  inexpedient,  however,  to  proclaim  such  a 
determination  just  now,  and  after  a  somewhat  protracted  con 
ference  with  his  colleagues  announced  it  as  their  joint  conclusion 
that  a  committee  of  three  discreet  persons  be  appointed,  whose 
duty  it  should  be  to  ascertain  all  the  surroundings  of  the 
prison  where  the  murderer  lay  confined,  and  further,  after 
investigation,  to  devise  means  by  which — if  such  course 
should  be  subsequently  determined  upon — the  klan  might 
obtain  control  of  the  person  of  the  prisoner  to  the  end 
that  he  be  properly  dealt  with.  Pearson  further  said  it 
was  a  very  grave  step  they  were  about  to  take,  or  that 
they  were  considering  the  propriety  of  taking,  and  he  himself 
would  as  speedily  as  possible  make  inquiry  of  certain  of  his  ac 
quaintances  well  versed  in  the  law,  and  get  their  opinion  of  what 
the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  case  probably  would  be. 
He  was  inclined  to  think  that  little  weight  should  be  attached  to 
the  braggadocio  talk  of  the  lawyer  employed  to  save  the  prisoner 
from  the  punishment  so  richly  deserved,  but  before  he  spoke  with 
assurance  on  this  point  he  would  like  to  be  better  informed  than 
he  was  at  present.  In  the  meantime  the  committee  suggested 
might  make  thorough  investigation,  and  be  prepared  to  report  at 
a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  klan,  so  that  if  any  action  was  then 
determined  upon  it  might  be  prompt  and  efficient. 

This  conclusion,  or  advice,  was  by  no  means  satisfactory  to  the 
impatient  men  who  now  longed  to  wreak  vengeance  on  Anker 
strom,  but  they  accepted  it,  as  it  pointed  to  a  time  not  far  distant 
when  summary  action  would  be  taken,  and  also  set  a  few  of  their 


234  The  K.  K.  K. 

number  to  the  work  of  preparing  the  way  for  such  action 
whenever  it  was  determined  upon.  Pearson  was  convinced 
that  their  wrath  would  be  in  a  measure  appeased  if  he 
could  postpone  the  time  for  announcing  a  positive  con 
clusion,  and  could  set  a  few  of  them  at  work  in  the 
interim,  and  thus  his  main  purpose  in  making  the  sug 
gestion  for  a  committee  of  investigation  was  accomplished. 
The  Grand  Cyclops  appointed  a  committee  of  three,  with  Teddy 
Mclntosh  at  the  head,  and  the  klan  adjourned  to  meet  again  a 
month  later  at  a  point  different  from  the  one  at  which  most  of 
their  former  meetings  had  been  held.  Some  whisperings  had  gone 
abroad  concerning  the  assembling  by  night  of  men  and  horses  on 
Dead  Man's  Knob,  and  it  was  thought  advisable,  at  least  for  a 
while,  to  shift  the  place  of  rendezvous  to  some  other  spot  situated 
farther  back  in  the  recesses  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills. 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Displays  Great  Shrewdness.     235 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

LAWYER    SLOWBOY    DISPLAYS    GREAT    SHREWDNESS    AT    THE    HORSE 
MARKET  AND  THEN  CALLS  UPON  A  LADY  ACQUAINTANCE. 

ONE  soft  summer  evening  when  the  moon  was  at  its  fullest  and 
brightest,  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  had  left  the  dwelling  which  was  now 
her  home,  and  gone  for  a  quiet  stroll  down  the  shady  and  winding 
road  that  led  away  from  the  premises.  Daylight  had  not  as  yet 
died  away,  but  the  risen  moon  shed  such  a  splendor  from  the  east 
that  its  rays  were  fast  gaining  the  ascendency  over  the  fading 
gleams  which  the  departed  sun  was  still  struggling  to  cast  from  the 
opposite  horizon. 

Sue  was  not  of  sentimental  turn,  but  she  could  not  fail  to  be 
impressed,  as  she  wandered  alone  through  shade  and  softened 
light,  with  the  surpassing  beauty  of  the  surrounding  scene.  From 
some  not  distant  wheat-field  the  rich  note  of  the  partridge  came, 
lamenting  perhaps  that  the  ripened  grain  above  its  nest  had  been 
cut  and  its  little  ones  scattered  abroad  to  seek  safety.  Blending 
with  this  mellow  call  the  plaintive  cry  of  the  whippoorwill,  that 
lover  of  the  twilight,  rose  so  near  as  almost  to  startle  her  while 
passing  close  to  a  thicket  of  tangled  undergrowth  that  skirted  her 
path.  She  paused  here,  and  stood  hesitating  whether  to  continue 
her  walk  or  icturn  to  her  dwelling,  when  she  heard  the  sound  of 
a  horse's  feet  in  the  distance.  The  house  in  which  she  dwelt  stood 
a  half  mile  or  more  from  the  main  highway,  and  she  knew  that  the 
approaching  rider,  whoever  he  was,  must  draw  rein  at  her  own 
door,  for  the  course  he  was  pursuing  could  lead  him  nowhere  else. 
She  was  a  quick  girl,  and  so  well  acquainted  in  her  own  locality 
that  she  knew  the  step  of  nearly  all  the  roadsters  thereabout.  She 
bent  her  ear  now  to  detect  if  possible  what  particular  animal  it  was 
coming  toward  her,  but  for  a  while  was  puzzled  to  determine.  It 
was  not  Ran  Pearson's  horse,  for  the  usual  gait  of  that  animal  was 
a  running  walk,  while  this  quadruped  was  certainly  pacing,  and 
pacing  very  deliberately.  It  was  not  the  saddle  nag  of  Teddy  MQ- 


236  The  K.  K.  K. 

Intosh,  for  Teddy  nearly  always  went  in  a  canter  when  he  wasn't 
riding  faster.  It  was  not  a  little  negro  on  a  mule,  such  as  were 
frequently  sent  on  errands  from  neighboring  farms,  for  this  was 
no  mule's  gait,  and  besides  these  persistent  youngsters  always 
clucked  loudly  as  they  came  along. 

The  dim  figure  of  the  approaching  steed  could  now  be  discerned 
a  little  way  off,  and  Sue  after  scanning  it  as  best  she  could  con 
cluded  the  rider  must  be  some  old  lady  of  the  vicinity  who  was 
thus  pacing  in  leisurely  fashion  toward  her  on  a  gentle  farm  nag. 
She  was  at  a  loss,  however,  to  conjecture  what  particular  old  lady 
it  could  be,  and  what  urgent  call  could  take  her  away  from  home 
at  this  unseasonable  hour,  and — as  country  folk  are  usually  a  little 
shy — she  stepped  a  few  feet  off  from  the  roadside  so  that  she  could 
inspect  the  equestrian  on  nearer  approach  without  being  herself 
observed.  As  the  new-comer  drew  nigh,  and  was  about  passing 
the  spot  where  she  stood  in  the  thick  shadow  of  the  foliage,  the 
ambling  steed  suddenly  got  a  glimpse  of  her  and  shied  so  abruptly 
that  the  rider,  taken  unawares,  tumbled  to  the  ground.  Sue  then 
saw  that  it  was  not  an  old  woman  but  one  of  the  masculine  species, 
and  as  the  discomfited  individual  arose  from  the  earth  and  began 
brushing  his  trousers  legs  with  his  hand,  she  was  astonished  to  find 
standing  before  her  the  youthful  attorney  who  had  taken  notes  of 
the  evidence  in  the  Ankerstrom  case,  and  had  made,  as  she  thought 
at  the  time,  quite  a  sensible  speech  in  behalf  of  the  prisoner.  Sue 
Bascombe  was  a  youthful  female  of  ordinary  acuteness  and  she 
had  not  failed  to  discover  during  the  progress  of  the  long  trial  that 
the  eyes  of  Mr.  Slowboy  were  frequently  upon  her,  and  that  they 
were  usually  admiring  glances  which  he  cast  in  her  direction.  She 
had  noticed  while  she  was  on  the  witness  stand  that  he  from  time 
to  time  suggested  queries  to  Palaver  to  be  propounded  by  the  lat 
ter  gentleman  to  her,  and  at  one  stage  of  the  investigation,  by  con 
sent  of  the  attorney-general,  he,  Slowboy,  had  himself  directly 
interrogated  her  with  the  view  of  drawing  out  more  fully  some 
point  that  he  thought  should  be  impressed  upon  the  jury.  After 
that  he  usually  bowed  to  her  when  he  came  into  the  court-room 
after  recess,  and  when  he  met  her  on  the  street,  but  beyond  these 
mere  formal  courtesies  their  acquaintanceship  did  not  extend. 
That  she  would  afterward  encounter  him  alone  by  twilight  in  the 
heart  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills  did  not  enter  at  the  time  into  her 
contemplation,  nor  was  it  at  all  among  her  thoughts  on  this  oc 
casion  until  he  awkwardly  tumbled  from  his  saddle  before  her  eyes. 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Displays  Great  Shrewdness.     237 

What  any  other  young  lady  would  have  done  under  the  cir 
cumstances  I  am  not  prepared  to  tell  you.  What  Sue  Bascombe 
did  was  very  natural,  though  perhaps  not  very  polite  or  very 
kind  under  the  circumstances.  She  threw  back  her  head  and 
laughed  so  heartily  that  she  might  have  been  heard  three  hun 
dred  yards  away  at  the  dwelling  house,  if  matters  had  been  quiet 
in  that  quarter. 

Mr.  Slowboy  at  once  left  off  brushing  his  breeches  leg  and 
shied  almost  as.  vigorously  as  his  nag  had  done  a  minute  before. 
The  young  lady,  perhaps  concluding  that  she  had  been  guilty 
of  an  uncivil  act,  now  stepped  into  the  open  roadway,  extending 
her  hand  graciously  toward  the  embarrassed  guest.  "  Why,  Mr. 
Slowboy,"  she  said.  "  Who'd  have  thought  it?  " 

"  I  wouldn't,"  replied  Slowboy  with  commendable  candor, 
but  forgetting  to  raise  his  own  hand  in  response  to  her  prof 
fered  courtesy.  "  I  assure  you  I  was  not  expecting  it  at  all." 

At  that  Miss  Bascombe  did  a  second  time  what  perhaps  was 
very  natural,  but  not  very  kind  or  very  civil.  She  laughed 
again  so  heartily  that  she  was  compelled  to  bend  forward  quite 
low  as  she  did  so.  Then-  recovering  herself  she  straightened  up 
and  again  extended  her  hand.  "  You  must  excuse  me,"  she  said 
to  the  confused  visitor,  "  but  really  one  does  not  see  a  feat  of  this 
sort  performed  very  day.  I  was  not  laughing  at  you,  Mr.  Slow- 
boy.  I  was  laughing  because — you  understand " 

"  I  do  not  understand,"  replied  Slowboy  positively.  "  I  as 
sure  you  I  do  not.  Have  the  kindness  to  explain  yourself." 

"  Catch  your  horse  and  I  will,"  replied  the  young  lady,  who 
by  this  time  was  mistress  of  her  emotions. 

Slowboy  went  after  the  animal,  which  was  standing  patiently  a 
few  yards  away,  and  Sue  Bascombe  had  a  few  moments  for  re 
flection.  "  As  we  seem  to  be  going  the  same  way,  suppose  we 
walk  together,"  she  said  when  he  returned  with  his  horse.  Then 
she  bent  her  steps  homeward,  the  gallant  youth  proceeding  by  her 
side. 

"  You  said  you  were  not  laughing  at  me,"  said  Slowboy  by  way 
of  opening  up  a  conversation. 

:i  Yes,  I  said  that,"  replied  Miss  Bascombe. 

"  Have  the  kindness  to  explain  then  what  you  were  laughing 
at." 

"  There  is  a  difference,  as  no  doubt  you  can  see,"  replied  the 
damsel,  "  between  laughing  at  an  individual  to  his  face,  which 


238  The  K.  K.  K. 

would  be  very  rude,  and  laughing  at  a  ludicrous  occurrence  with 
out  reference  to  the  individual  that  happened  to  take  part 
in  it." 

"  Your  distinction  is  not  well  taken,"  said  the  attorney.  "  If 
a  ludicrous  mishap  befalls  an  individual,  and  you  laugh  at  the 
mishap,  you  necessarily  laugh  at  him,  for  he  is  of  necessity  so 
connected  with  the  mishap  that  the  one  cannot  be  separated  from 
the  other." 

"  I  do  not  see  it  that  way,"  replied  Miss  Bascombe  dryly. 

"  I  can  demonstrate  the  correctness  of  my  position  to  your  sat 
isfaction,"  responded  Slowboy.  "  If  the  individual  had  not  been 
connected  with  the  mishap  there  could  have  been  no  mishap. 
You  cannot  carve — legally  speaking — two  separate  and  distinct 
things  out  of  the  one  transaction.  The  individual  by  himself,  it 
may  be  assumed,  would  not  be  provocative  of  mirth.  Being  on 
horseback,  however,  and  unexpectedly  losing  his  balance,  he  is 
constrained  to  assume  an  attitude  which,  it  may  be  conceded,  is 
the  reverse  of  graceful.  Catching  the  eye  of  a  beholder  in  this 
unbecoming  posture  the  beholder  breaks  into  a  loud  laugh.  Now, 
it  is  too  plain  for  argument  that  the  merriment  is  at  the  expense 
of  the  unlucky  individual.  You  cannot  be  heard  to  say,  nor 
by  any  sophistry  can  the  position  be  maintained,  that  it  was  not 
the  man,  but  the  misfortune  that  befell  him,  which  provoked  the 
mind  of  the  beholder  to  mirth." 

"  Well,  then,  I  laughed  at  you,"  replied  Sue.  "  But  if  you  had 
not  assumed  the  ungraceful  attitude  I  would  not  have  laughed,  so 
after  all  it  was  your  fault  and  not  mine." 

"  Not  so,  not  so/'  rejoined  the  attorney.  "  Laughter,  or  any 
expression  of  enjoyment,  is  never  excusable  when  based  on  the 
suffering  or  misfortune  of  another.  An  Indian  will  laugh  at, 
and  dance  round,  the  victim  who  is  being  burned  to  death  at  the 
stake.  He  gloats,  so  to  speak,  on  the  pain  his  fellow  creature  is 
compelled  to  endure.  When  a  civilized  man  or  woman  laughs 
at  a  painful  accident  that  befalls  one  of  the  human  species,  it  is 
a  lingering  trace  of  barbarism  in  his  or  her  nature  that  excites 
to  mirth  and  extracts  a  pleasurable  emotion  where  only  sym 
pathy  should  be  felt." 

"  Well,  then,"  replied  Sue,  "  I  did  wrong  in  laughing  at  you, 
and  I  ask  your  pardon." 

This  mild  admission  on  the  part  of  the  young  lady  had  the 
double  effect  of  soothing  the  mortified  vanity  of  Mr.  Slowboy, 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Displays  Great  Shrewdness.     239 

and  putting  an  extinguisher  upon  the  struggling  conversation. 
The  lawyer,  while  studious  and  inclined  to  cogitation,  was  not 
colloquially  gifted,  and  moreover  when  he  essayed  the  role  of 
beau  he  was  venturing  upon  entirely  new  ground.  I  say  the  role 
of  beau  because  any  person  of  ordinary  discretion  who  peruses 
this  chronicle  will  understand  that  Slowboy  on  the  present  occa 
sion  had  not  stumbled  accidentally  upon  the  dwelling  place  of 
Miss  Bascombe,  being  a  chance  wayfarer  in  that  vicinity,  but 
had  directed  the  steps  of  his  pacing  nag  toward  her  habitation, 
if  not — as  the  lawyers  say — with  malice  prepense,  at  least  after 
mature  deliberation  and  premeditation.  To  be  sure,  later  on  in 
the  evening  he  explained  to  her  that  being  in  Nashville  on  legal 
business,  and  having  there  purchased  a  valuable  and  trustworthy 
animal  for  family  purposes,  he  had  concluded  to  ride  through 
to  his  home  on  horseback,  rather  than  ship  his  new  purchase  by 
rail  and  travel  himself  by  the  same  conveyance.  This  was  what 
he  said,  and  Sue,  being  a  girl  of  no  little  gumption,  understood 
precisely  how  much  truth  there  was  in  the  story  and  how  much 
fabrication. 

The  fact  was  Solomon  Slowboy  had  planned  the  whole  neat 
scheme  in  his  office  before  ever  he  left  his  place  of  abode. 
Sitting  musingly  there  one  afternoon,  when  he  should  have  been 
studying  his  book,  he  had  artfully  invented  a  smooth  pretext  for 
visiting  the  girl  who  had  drawn  such  a  creditable  diagram  on  the 
dirty  court-room  floor  and  had  explained  all  the  lines  and  dots 
thereof  with  such  mathematical  precision.  This  scheme  he  had 
contrived  all  out  of  his  own  head  and  had  successfully  executed 
up  to  the  point  of  tumbling  from  his  horse,  which  feat,  I  need 
not  explain  to  the  reader,  was  no  part  of  the  original  pro 
gram. 

At  the  moment  when  the  author  side-tracked  his  narrative  for 
the  above  interesting  digression  Miss  Bascombe  and  Mr.  Slow- 
boy,  as  will  be  recalled,  were  walking  slowly  down  the  grassy 
country  road  that  led  to  the  residence  of  the  former.  The  horse 
had  shied,  Mr.  Slowboy  had  come  to  grief,  the  young  lady  had 
laughed  aloud,  the  lawyer  had  become  a  little  incensed,  suitable 
apology  had  been  made,  and  his  mortified  vanity  had  been 
soothed.  So  far  so  good,  but  meantime  the  particular  vein  of 
talk  they  had  been  following  was  exhausted,  and  if  it  had  de 
volved  on  Mr.  Slowboy  to  open  and  follow  up  another,  the  con 
versation  itself  must  have  utterly  perished.  This  fact  becoming 


240  The  K.  K.  K. 

painfully  manifest  after  a  few  minutes'  walk,  the  party  of  the 
second  part — to  wit,  Miss  Bascombe — relieved  the  growing  em 
barrassment  by  propounding  the  following  query : 

"  Mr.  Slowboy,  how's  your  mother  ?  " 

"  She  is,  I  thank  you,  in  the  enjoyment  of  her  usual  health," 
replied  Slowboy.  "  How  did  you  know  I  had  a  mother  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that  was  easy  to  tell.  You  came  into  the  court-room  the 
first  day  of  the  trial  with  your  coat  and  hat  neatly  brushed,  so  I 
knew  some  good  woman  was  looking  after  you.  You  spruced 
up  considerably  when  you  found  a  young  lady  among  the  wit 
nesses,  so  I  saw  you  wasn't  married.  And  one  day  I  noticed  a 
pleasant-faced  middle-aged  lady  regarding  you  with  fond  admira 
tion  from  behind  the  bar,  and  I  set  her  down  at  once  for  your 
mother." 

'"  You  were  right,"  cried  Slowboy  with  enthusiasm.  "  It  was 
my  mother,  and  the  very  best  mother,  I  venture  to  say,  Miss  Bas 
combe,  that  ever  a  man  had  upon  this  earth.  Why,  you  would 
grow  tired  listening  if  I  should  undertake  to  tell  you  just  how 
much  my  mother  does  for  me  every  hour  in  the  day,  and  every 
day  in  the  week,  and  every  week  in  the  year.  She  not  only 
brushes  me  up  every  morning  so  as  to  make  me  look  spruce — 
that  is,  of  course,  you  know,  Miss  Bascombe,  as  spruce  as  such  a 
person  as  I  can  look — she  not  only  does  that,  but  when  I  go  home 
of  evenings  I  find  my  slippers  ready  for  me,  and  my  studying 
gown,  which  she  made  with  her  own  hands,  and  if  it  be  at  all 
cool  or  damp  there  is,  you  may  depend  upon  it,  a  snug  fire  in 
the  grate.  My  mother  is  a  very  active  person,  a  very  active  per 
son  indeed  for  one  of  her  years — and  she's  not  so  mighty  old 
neither — and  what  with  dusting,  and  cleaning,  and  looking  after 
the  cook — we  keep  a  cook  now — and  doing  a  thousand  other 
things,  she  never  has  an  idle  moment,  I  can  tell  you." 

So  Mr.  Slowboy  went  on,  and  it  was  soon  evident  that  Sue's 
query — which  at  first  blush  might  have  seemed  mal  a  propos — 
was  the  very  thing  to  set  him  going,  and  to  keep  him  going  until 
he  warmed  up,  and  wore  off  his  reserve,  and  was  ready  for  ra 
tional  discourse  on  other  and  general  topics.  By  the  time  they 
reached  the  house  they  had  grown  to  be  almost  chummy,  and  so 
promptly  did  ideas  rise  up  in  the  mind  of  the  young  lawyer,  and 
so  readily  did  those  ideas  find  utterance  in  language,  that  the 
family  sitting  out  on  the  front  porch  wondered  what  glib-tongued 
Stranger  it  was  nearing  the  premises.  Sue  introduced  him  as  her 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Displays  Great  Shrewdness.     241 

friend  Mr.  Slowboy,  and  he  shook  hands  all  round  with  ease  and 
grace,  and  was  no  more  embarrassed,  I  assure  you,  than  you  or  I 
would  have  been,  who  of  course  have  been  used  to  genteel  com 
pany  all  our  days. 

After  supper — for  come  they  strangers  or  come  they  kin, 
there  is  free  entertainment  for  man  and  beast  at  nearly 
every  old-fashioned  Southern  farmhouse — Mr.  Slowboy  was 
ushered  into  the  company  room  of  the  mansion,  where  he 
found  the  walls  liberally  decked  with  pictures  of  General  Lee  anc 
Stonewall  Jackson  and  other  mighty  men  of  valor  who  have 
passed  away  from  earth  after  earning  for  themselves,  by  deeds 
of  prowess,  the  gratitude  of  pos-terity.  Then  followed  discourse 
of  a  rational  and  improving  nature,  dashed  now  and  then  with 
a  little  chit-chat  for  seasoning.  There  was  some  bantering — 
for  close  friends,  you  know,  can  afford  to  be  a  trifle  free  at  each 
other's  expense — and  toward  the  close  of  the  evening  a  little 
serious  talk  that  verged  on  the  sentimental.  Mr.  Slowboy,  who 
was  deep  and  hard  to  circumvent,  skilfully  probed  the  young 
lady's  mind  to  ascertain  in  the  most  delicate  way  possible  whether 
this  or  that  individual,  of  whom  he  had  heard  talk,  stood  partic 
ularly  high  in  her  estimation.  He  incidentally  lugged  Mr.  R.  L. 
Templeton  into  the  conversation,  and  was  pleased  to  learn  that 
this  youth  was  considered  rather  light-headed  and  frivolous,  and 
moreover  was  desperately  in  love  with  a  certain  Polly  Haber- 
sham,  who  dwelt  a  half  dozen  miles  away.  After  making  a  con 
versational  circuit,  so  as  to  take  the  mind  of  the  young  lady  en 
tirely  away  from  this  and  kindred  topics,  he  came  round  again, 
and  this  time  learned,  without  her  ever  having  suspected  what  he 
was  up  to,  that  Teddy  Mclntosh  was  kind-hearted  and  a  frolick- 
some  boy,  but  just  only  a  boy,  you  know.  Thirdly,  and  lastly, 
after  another  considerable  detour  he  managed  to  introduce 
smoothly  and  naturally  into  the  talk  the  name  of  Randolph  Pear 
son.  He  found  here  that  there  was  really  no  apparent  interest  at 
all.  Mr.  Pearson  stood  well  among  the  neighbors,  and  was  no 
doubt  a  correct  man  in  his  business  dealings,  but  he  was  dread 
fully  set  in  his  ways,  and  of  late  years  getting  to  be  quite  a  re 
cluse.  A  man,  said  Miss  Bascombe,  might  live  by  himself,  and 
for  himself,  so  long  that  he  would  lose  not  only  all  relish  for  the 
companionship  of  others,  but  all  fitness  for  such  companionship, 
and  to  this  sad  complexion  Randolph  Pearson  had  come  at  last. 

Thus  Mr.'  Sfowboy,  who,  as  the  reader  has  perceived,  was  much 


242  The  K.  K.  K. 

more  artful  than  a  body  would  have  thought  to  look  at  him,  man 
aged  to  ascertain  precisely  the  trend  of  the  lady's  mind  in  all  these 
important  particulars,  and  at  about  ten  o'clock  concluded  to  bring 
the  pleasant  evening  to  a  close.  He  had  heard  his  mother  say 
that  when  you  called  on  a  yoking  lady  it  was  both  bad  manners 
and  bad  policy  to  remain  long  enough  to  weary  her,  and  therefore 
he  wisely  determined  to  withdraw  while — as  the  saying  goes — his 
credit  was  up.  When  he  heard  the  premonitory  click  of  the  clock, 
serving  notice  upon  him  that  it  proposed  presently  to  strike  the 
hour  of  the  night,  and  looking  up  saw  the  long  finger  qn  the  dial 
creeping  close  to  the  figure  10,  he  rose  from  his  seat,  and  remark 
ing  that  he  had  no  idea  it  was  so  late,  extended  his  hand  with  the 
view  of  bidding  the  .young  lady  gaod-by. 

"  Why,"  said  Sue,  "  you  are  not  going  to  leave  us  to-night  ? 
We  don't  call  it  a  visit  in  the  country  unless  you  have  taken  at 
least  two  meals  with  us,  and  had  a  good  sound  nap  under  our 
roof." 

"  As  for  the  meals,"  responded  Slowboy  gallantly,  "  I've  had 
one,  and  that  convinces  me  thoroughly  of  your  excellent  house 
keeping;  and  as  to  the  slumber,  or  nap  as  you  term  it,  under 
your  roof,  I'm  not  quite  sure  that  I  would  sleep  much  if  I  were 
to  remain  till  morning." 

"  Indeed  ?  "  responded  the  young  lady. 

"  Because,"  pursued  Slowboy,  "  it  is  a  well-understood  fact 
that  pleasurable  emotions  tend  to  excite  the  mind,  and  thereby  in 
duce  a  state  of  alertness,  instead  of  that  sense  of  composure  which 
lulls  the  faculties  into  slumber." 

"  Very  true,"  replied  Sue,  "  but  it's  twenty-seven  miles  to 
Coopertown,  and  surely  you're  not  going  that  far  to-night  ?  " 

Then  the  visitor  informed  her  that  he  had  business  at  a  little 
cross-roads  town  -a  dozen  miles  farther  on,  and  as  the  moon  was 
bright,  and  the  night  pleasant,  he  had  resolved  to  ride  that  far 
on  his  journey,  dispatch  the  matter  in  hand  next  morning  as  soon 
as  the  folks  were  astir,  and  then  proceed  homeward  before  the 
heat  of  the  sun  made  the  day  oppressive. 

"  You  know  the  road?  "  inquired  the  young  lady. 

"  I  have  but  to  get  back  into  the  beaten  highway  which  runs 
within  a  half  mile  of  your  house,  and  following  that  I  cannot  get 
lost." 

"  It  will  take  you  across  Paradise  Ridge,  and  over  some  very 
rough  country." 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Displays  Great  Shrewdness.     243 

"  I  can  travel  it,"  replied  Slowboy.  "  Don't  forget  I  was 
country  raised." 

Sue  seemed  to  hesitate  a  while,  then  she  inquired :  "  Mr. 
Slowboy,  have  you  a  pistol  ?  " 

"  No  indeed,"  replied  the  attorney.  "  It's  against  the  law  to 
go  armed." 

Sue  Bascombe :  "  Yes,  I  know  it,  but  a  man  traveling  these 
hills  at  night  ought  to  have  a  pistol.  Self-preservation  is  the  first 
law  of  nature." 

Solomon  Slowboy :  "  Why,  you  don't  think  there's  any  real 
danger,  do  you  ?  " 

Sue  Bascombe :  "  I  can't  say  whether  there  is  or  not.  But' 
curious  tales  are  told  about  these  hills,  Mr.  Slowboy." 

Solomon  Slowboy:  "What  for  instance?" 

Sue  Bascombe :  "  Why  they  say  all  manner  of  things.  They 
tell  some  tales  that  would  make  your  hair  rise  right  up  on  your 
head.  But  I  don't  want  to  excite  you,  as  you  are  going  to  ride." 

Solomon  Slowboy,  stoutly :  "  Yes,  I'm  going  to  ride,  and  I  ex 
pect  to  encounter  nothing  mo.re  disheartening  than  the  loneliness 
of  the  route." 

Sue  Bascombe,  hesitating  again :  "  Well,  I  hope  you  are  right, 
Mr.  Slowboy.  But  I  ought  to  tell  you  there  are  rough  men  in 
these  parts.  And  I  ought  to  tell  you,  Mr.  Slowboy,  that  strange 
sights  have  been  seen  along  the  very  road  you  are  going  to  travel. 
I'm  not  superstitious,  but  one  can't  utterly  disregard  statements 
made  by  reliable  witnesses.  Once  upon  a  time  not  very  far  from 
here  the  Bell  Witch  played  some  most  remarkable  pranks;  and 
they  tell  me  that  sometimes  about  midnight  on  lonely  roads  up  in 
the  Marrowbone  Hills  witches,  ghosts,  hobgoblins,  what  you 
choose,  can  be  actually  seen  and  heard  performing  some  sort  of 
ceremony  that  no  human  being  understands." 

Solomon  Slowboy :  "  Why,  you  are  not  afraid  of  ghosts,  are 
you?" 

Sue  Bascombe :  "  I  can't  say  I'm  afraid  of  them,  but  still  many 
unaccountable  things  do  happen,  Mr.  Slowboy.  Spiritualism  has 
many  intelligent  believers  in  this  great  country  and  elsewhere. 
You've  read  of  Lord  Brougham's  case,  haven't  you  ?  " 

Solomon  Slowboy :  "  Yes,  yes.  Just  an  overheated  imagina 
tion." 

Sue  Bascombe :  "  Maybe  so.  Then  there  was  the  Bell  Witch 
in  this  very  neighborhood.  It  disappeared  many  years  ago,  but 


244  The  K.  K.  K. 

some  folks  think  it  has  come  back  and  brought  other  spooks 
along  with  it.  I  tell  you  what,  Mr.  Slowboy,  if  I  was  going  your 
road  to-night,  I'd  slip  a  pistol  in  my  pocket,  law  or  no  law." 

Solomon  Slowboy :  "  What  good  would  a  pistol  do  in  case  of 
spooks  ?  " 

Sue  Bas-combe :  "  In  case  of  interference  it  w.ould  enable  you 
to  tell  whether  the  thing  obstructing  your  way  was  human  or  not. 
You  are  going  a  lonely  road,  and  I'll  lend  you  my  pistol  so  that 
you  may  be  prepared  for  any  emergency." 

Solomon  Slowboy :  "  Do  you  keep  a  pistol  ?  " 

Sue  Bascombe :  "  Why,  to  be  sure.  You  don't  suppose  a  girl 
would  live  up  here  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills  and  not  keep  a  pis 
tol,  do  you  ?  " 

With  that  she  left  him,  and  proceeding  up  the  stairway  was 
absent  several  minutes.  When  she  returned  she  handed  him  a 
small  Smith  &  Wesson,  which  she  assured  him  was  accurate. 
Slowboy,  thinking  he  might  encounter  some  danger  along  the 
road,  accepted  it  and  dropped  it  in  his  side  pocket. 

"  Put  it  in  your  hip  pocket,"  said  Miss  Bascombe.  "  It's 
handier  to  get  at  there." 

Slowboy  made  the  necessary  transfer,  and  his  lady  friend 
further  instructed  him.  "  If  you  have  to  shoot,"  she  said,  "  re 
member  to  raise  your  pistol  high  and  pull  trigger  as  it  lowers 
as  soon  as  the  object  in  front  darkens  your  view.  Be  perfectly 
steady,  and  keep  your  forefinger  on  the  tip  of  the  trigger.  That 
will  make  it  go  off  easy." 

"  You  understand  it,  I  see,"  replied  the  guest. 

"  Indeed  I  do,"  said  Sue  Bascombe.  "  If  I'd  had  a  pistol  the 
night  of  the  terrible  tragedy  at  our  house  you  would  never  have 
been  employed  as  counsel  for  Ankerstrom." 

Solomon  Slowboy  looked  at  her  admiringly.  "  She's  a  brave 
girl,"  he  thought.  "  She'd  have  made  a  noble  wife  for  one  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  this  country  when  the  Indians  were  prowling 
around."  Then  he  looked  at  her  again.  "  She's  very  hand 
some,"  he  thought.  "  She  wouldn't  make  a  bad  wife  for  Solo 
mon  Slowboy,  if  mother  was  willing  to  the  match." 

When  he  got  to  the  door  Sue  handed  him  a  sealed  envelope, 
with  no  direction  on  the  back.  Instead  the  figure  of  a  human 
hand  had  been  drawn  upon  it  in  red  ink,  the  thumb  and  little 
finger  closed,  the  other  three  fingers  extended.  "  I  reckon  you'll 
think  I'm  foolish/'  she  said,  "  but  this  paper  contains  a  charm 


Lawyer  Slowboy  Displays  Great  Shrewdness.     245 

that  my  aunt's  grandmother  said  was  powerful  against  witches. 
If  you  do  not  have  occasion  to  use  it  you  must  mail  it  back  to  me 
as  soon  as  you  reach  home.  If  you  get  in  serious  trouble  on  the 
way  say  a  short  prayer  over  to  yourself  and  hand  this  paper  to 
the  next  who  approaches,  human  or  hobgoblin." 

Solomon  Slowboy  looked  at  her  again,  and  her  face  was  quite 
serious. 

"  This  is  very  singular/'  he  remarked. 

"  I  know  it  is,"  replied  Sue  Bascombe. 

He  took  the  paper  and  placed  it  in  his  side  pocket.  "  I  will 
mail  it  back  to  you  to-morrow  morning  from  home,"  he  said. 

"  Don't  fail  to  do  it,"  was  her  reply. 

Then  he  shook  hands  with  her  very  cordially,  and  she  invited 
him  to  come  back  again.  He  promised  her  faithfully  to  do  so, 
and  Solomon  Slowboy  was  a  person  who  usually  meant  what  he 
said.  When  he  went  out  into  the  night  Sue  Bascombe  locked  the 
front  door  behind  him  and  took  her  way  upstairs,  humming  a 
quiet  tune  to  herself. 


246  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MR.  SLOWBOY  TRAVELS  A  LONELY  ROAD  BY  NIGHT,  AND  SOON  FINDS 
HIMSELF  IN  DECIDEDLY  QUEER   COMPANY. 

SOLOMON  SLOWBOY,  chewing  the  cud  of  pleasing  fancy,  paced 
for  an  hour  or  more  along  the  moonlit  highway  that  led  to  the 
cross-roads  village  where  it  was  his  purpose  to  obtain  lodging  for 
the  night.  The  route  he  was  now  pursuing  ran  up  and  down  hill, 
but  on  the  whole  was  not  so  difficult  to  travel  as  he  had  appre 
hended  from  the  description  of  Miss  Sue  Bascombe,  who  had 
warned  him  that  he  would  be  compelled  to  journey  through  a 
rough  country.  The  obstacles  in  his  path  were  less  noticeable 
too,  he  concluded,  from  the  fact  that  the  gray  mare  under  his  sad 
dle  was  sure-footed  and  evenly  gaited,  and  as  she  bore  him 
smoothly  onward  he  became  more  thoroughly  convinced  that  he 
had  driven  a  good  bargain  when  he  purchased  her. 

The  fact  was — as  I  think  I  took  occasion  to  remark  in  the  last 
chapter — Solomon  Slowbow  was  a  much  shrewder  person  than  a 
body  would  have  supposed  to  look  at  him.  When  he  went  upon 
the  horse  market  at  Nashville  with  the  view  of  making  an  invest 
ment,  he  was  not  content,  as  many  a  blundering  ignoramus  would 
have  been,  to  close  a  trade  for  the  very  first  plug  he  came  across. 
Instead  of  that  he  kept  looking  and  making  inquiries  until  he 
finally  laid  eyes  on  a  certain  gray  mare  in  a  certain  stable  that 
seemed  somehow  to  suit  his  fancy.  When  the  dealer  saw  him 
viewing  the  gray  mare  with  a  critic's  eye  he  came  forward  and  re 
marked  to  Slowboy  politely  that  he  observed  he  was  a  fine  judge 
of  horseflesh.  "  Forty  men,"  said  the  dealer,  "  have  passed  that 
mare  without  special  notice  to-day,  but  you  discerned  that  she  was 
a  very  superior  animal  as  soon  as  ^ver  you  entered  the  stable." 

"  Why,  so  I  did,"  replied  SolonY  ^i  Slowboy,  pleased  at  the  com 
pliment  to  his  penetration.  "  Tht&e  other  forty  gentlemen  you 
speak  of  had  of  course  the  right  to  consult  their  own  tastes 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  247 

when  they  went  upon  the  horse  market,  but  I  was  struck  with  this 
animal  here  just  as  soon  as  I  examined  her  points." 

"  Well,  you  have  taken  a  fancy  to  about  the  best  horse  in  the 
stable,"  said  the  dealer,  "  and  it's  a  fine  thing  you  happened  along 
on  this  particular  day  of  all  days  in  the  year." 

"  How  is  that  ?  "  inquired  Slowboy. 

The  dealer  then  informed  him  confidentially  that  the  gray  mare 
was  the  property  of  a  gentleman  in  the  vicinity  who  was  in  great 
stress  for  money,  and  was  willing  therefore  to  part  with  her  at  a 
ruinous  sacrifice.  By  waiting  another  twenty-four  hours  the  gen 
tleman  might  hope  to  get  almost  double  what  he  now  asked  for 
the  animal,  but  the  money  had  to  come  on  the  very  day  which, 
as  luck  would  have  it,  Slowboy  had  selected  for  his  visit  to  Nash 
ville.  Slowboy  next  inquired  if  a  lady  could  ride  the  mare  with 
safety,  informing  the  dealer  that  he  had  a  mother  at  home,  who, 
though  not  an  accomplished  equestrienne,  liked  to  take  little  horse 
back  jaunts  to  the  country  now  and  then.  As  luck  would  have  it 
again  the  gentleman  who  was  in  great  stress  for  money  had  a 
maiden  aunt  whose  habit  it  was  to  take  a  long  ride  every  day  on 
the  back  of  Martha  Washington — that  was  the  mare's  name — and 
who  even  now  was  making  a  frantic  endeavor  to  pawn  her  valu 
able  diamond  ring  rather  than  part  company  with  the  cherished 
animal. 

Slowboy  at  this  felt  some  scruple  about  robbing  the  lady  of  her 
treasure,  but  the  dealer  reminded  him  that  somebody  would  be  the 
purchaser  that  day,  and  that  he  had  as  well  be  the  lucky  man  as 
another.  To  make  a  long  story  short,  the  lawyer  then  purchased 
the  gray  mare  without  more  ado,  and  though  the  figure  was 
higher  than  he  expected — seeing  the  mare  was  being  disposed  of 
at  a  ruinous  sacrifice — he  paid  the  dealer's  demand  in  spot  cash, 
and  a  short  while  later  was  pacing  out  of  the  capital  city  of  the 
state  astraddle  of  Martha  Washington,  and  seated  moreover  in  a 
brand  new  saddle  which  creaked  so  loudly  as  he  went  that  it  some 
what  embarrassed  him.  He  proceeded  homeward  with  the  gray 
mare  and  the  creaking  saddle,  till  he  reached  the  abode  of  a  cer 
tain  damsel  in  the  hills,  and,  after  a  pleasant  intermission  there, 
was  again  pacing,  as  we  know,  leisurely  along  his  homeward  road. 

Now,  as  Solomon  Slowboy  went  on  and  on,  up  hill  and  down 
hill,  he  thought  of  his  estimable  mother,  and  could  see  her  in  his 
mind's  eye  walking  round  and  round  Martha  Washington,  ad 
miring  the  symmetry  of  her  limbs,  and  having  the  old  family 


248  The  K.  K.  K. 

side  saddle  strapped  to  her  back  to  see  how  it  fitted.  As  he  thus 
mused  he  thought  of  the  ugly  trick  the  mare  had  played  him  that 
evening  in  unseating  him  right  in  the  presence  of  a  lady,  and  won 
dered  if  she  might  not  cut  some  such  caper  when  his  esteemed 
mother  was  atop  of  her.  Then  he  remembered  the  criticism 
which  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  had  passed  on  herself  for  hiding  out  in 
the  bushes  close  to  the  roadside  when  a  rider  and  horse  were  pass 
ing,  and  thought  how  generous  it  was  in  her  to  assume 
the  entire  responsibility  for  the  mishap  instead  of  saddling 
a  considerable  share  of  the  blame,  as  she  unquestionably 
might  have  done,  upon  himself  and  Martha  Washington. 
Miss  Bascombe  having  been  brought  thus  naturally  to  the 
front,  his  imagination  dwelt  fondly  for  a  while  upon  her 
many  graces  of  mind  and  person.  He  congratulated  him 
self  on  his  shrewdness  in  eliciting  from  her,  without  her 
ever  having  suspected  his  purpose,  the  important  information 
that  she  was  heart  whole  and  fancy  free,  and  ventured  to  cherish 
the  hope  that  after  his  own  acquaintance  with  her  had  fully 
ripened  perhaps  the  same  could  not  be  truthfully  said  of  her. 
Then  he  went  over  again,  for  he  had  an  excellent  memory,  all  the 
little  incidents  of  the  pleasant  evening  that  had  just  closed,  the 
profound  remarks  submitted  by  Solomon  Slowboy,  her  apprecia 
tive  responses,  and  just  precisely  how  she  looked  when  he  said 
this  or  that.  We  are  told  that  when  fancy  makes  the  feast  it 
costs  no  more  to  have  it  fine,  and  it  was  a  delightful  entertainment 
indeed  to  which  Solomon  Slowboy  treated  himself  as  Martha 
Washington  paced  evenly  along  the  moonlit  highway  upon  that 
balmy  summer  night. 

When  he  had  gone  over  the  enjoyable  features  of  his  visit 
again  and  again,  and  the  exquisite  pleasure  of  recalling 
them  was  somewhat  dulled  by  repetition,  he  bethought  him 
of  the  singular  conversation  that  had  passed  between  himself 
and  the  maiden  just  as  they  were  on  the  eve  of  leave-taking.  What 
did  a  sensible  girl  like  Sue  Bascombe  mean  by  all  this  talk  about 
ghosts?  How  did  she  happen  to  find  out  about  the  mysterious 
experience  of  Lord  Brougham,  who  in  his  autobiography  records 
the  fact  that  he  encountered  the  ghost  of  a  departed  friend  in  his 
bath-room,  just  as  he  was  rising,  divested  of  his  raiment,  from  the 
tub?  And  this  confounded  Bell  Witch,  too,  that  she  had  lugged 
into  the  conversation ;  strange  tales  had  been  told  concerning  that 
spook,  or  whatever  it  was.  Strange  tales,  strange  tales.  Slowboy 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  249 

had  heard  them  from  his  mother,  who  had  heard  them  from  her 
mother,  who  was  a  good  church  member,  and  in  the  matter  of  the 
Bell  Witch  knew  whereof  she  spoke.  How  curious  it  is  that  such 
wild  tales  should  obtain  credence  and  pass  for  truths  among  sen 
sible  people !  But  when  one  came  to  think  of  it  there  really  was 
no  clear  dividing  line  between  the  knowable  and  the  unknowable, 
the  natural  and  the  so-called  supernatural.  The  ghosts  of  which 
we  have  so  many  well  authenticated  instances  may  all  have  been 
conjured  up  by  diseased  imaginations,  but  who  can  say  some  of 
them  were  not  real  visitants,  permitted  for  a  special  purpose  to 
return  to  the  walks  of  men  ?  "  There  are  more  things  in  heaven 
and  -earth,  Horatio,  than  are  dreamed  of  in  thy  philosophy." 

By  this  time  Martha  Washington  had  put  several  miles  of  road 
behind  her,  and  the  route  was  through  a  more  broken  country 
than  any  Slowboy  had  yet  traversed.  Streams  became  more  fre 
quent,  and  often  the  road  ran  up  the  bed  of  one  of  these.  Now 
and  then  a  deep  hollow  formed  part  of  the  way,  and  almost  pitch 
darkness  reigned  here,  for  the  moonbeams  could  not  penetrate 
through  the  thick  canopy  of  leaves  and  branches  that  closed  in 
overhead.  Slowboy  was  by  no  means  a  coward,  yet  he  could  not 
help  feeling  a  little  nervous  when  he  found  himself  groping 
through  a  silent  wood  alone,  and  far  away,  as  well  as  he  could 
determine,  from  all  human  habitation.  Once  or  twice  he  fancied 
he  heard  some  one  riding  behind  him,  and  checked  Martha  Wash 
ington  to  ascertain  whether  such  was  really  the  case.  Either  there 
was  no  one  on  his  track,  he  discovered  in  each  instance,  or  the 
person  who  was  following  him  stopped  whenever  he  did.  Now 
he  reached  better  ground,  where  there  was  a  little  help  from  the 
moonlight,  and  was  pushing  his  way  more  briskly  along  this  when 
he  was  startled  by  a  deep  groan  that  came  from  the  roadside  a  few 
feet  in  front  of  him.  He  at  once  brought  his  mare  to  a  dead  stop 
and  waited  in  the  highway  to  listen.  A  second  time  the  groan 
came,  and  it  was  evidently  the  groan  of  a  human  being,  and  one, 
too,  in  great  agony.  Slowboy  advanced  cautiously  a  short  distance 
and  halted  again.  A  third  time  he  heard  the  groan,  and  it  was  un 
mistakably  the  plaint  of  some  poor  expiring  wretch  not  immedi 
ately  on  the  roadside,  but  a  little  way  off  in  the  wood. 

"  Whoever  you  are,"  cried  Slowboy  in  the  darkness,  "  I'm  ready 
to  help  you  if  you  stand  in  need." 

Nothing  but  silence  greeted  this  friendly  offer,  and  Slowboy  a 
second  time  lifted  his  voice  in  the  darkness. 


250  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  You  seem  to  be  in  distress.  I'm  ready  to  help  you  if  I  can." 
Then  he  heard  the  deep  groan  once  more,  followed  by  a  very  faint 
voice  from  the  wood :  "  Come,  for  God's  sake." 

Without  more  ado  Slowboy  pushed  his  mare  into  the  wood  and 
endeavored  to  reach  the  spot  from  which  the  voice  proceeded. 
Soon  both  he  and  his  mare  became  entangled  in  the  long  green 
creeping  briars  that  twine  so  luxuriantly  among  the  trees  and 
branches  in  that  part  of  the  country.  Martha  Washington  plunged, 
scratched  herself  and  rider,  then  retreated  rather  precipitately  back 
into  the  road.  Nothing  daunted  in  his  praiseworthy  resolve  Slow- 
boy  dismounted  and  tied  her  to  a  limb  which  he  could  dimly  dis 
cern,  for  it  was  not  pitch  dark  in  the  highway.  This  done  he 
started  on  foot  into  the  wood  and  penetrated  a  short  distance 
cautiously.  "  Where  are  you  ?  "  he  cried  to  the  unknown  indi 
vidual  whom  he  was  seeking  to  reach. 

"  Here,"  responded  a  weak  voice  only  a  few  steps  off. 

He  made  his  way  to  the  spot  from  which  the  sound  proceeded, 
but  could  find  no  trace  of  the  wounded  man  whose  desperate  con 
dition  he  was  seeking  to  relieve.  He  stood  and  listened,  but  not  a 
sound  near  him  could  his  strained  ear  catch ;  not  even  the  heavy 
breathing  of  a  creature  in  distress.  He  waited  in  dead  silence  for 
a  few  moments,  and  then  in  some  trepidation  lifted  his  voice  again. 
"  Where  are  you  ?  "  he  inquired  softly. 

A  dismal  groan  came  in  response  to  this  inquiry,  but  the  crea 
ture  that  uttered  it  was  now  some  distance  off,  and,  as  he  could  tell 
by  the  sound,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  roadway  which  he  had 
left.  Alone  in  a  dark  wood,  in  a  strange  country,  and  subjected 
to  such  an  experience,  it  is  useless  to  say  that  the  lawyer  felt  nerv 
ous.  Still,  he  said  to  himself,  it  must  be  the  prank  of  some  foolish 
practical  joker,  and  without  further  effort  to  discover  the  individ 
ual  he  had  gone  to  seek  he  made  his  way  with  considerable  diffi 
culty  back  to  the  road.  As  he  reached  the  shadowy  highway  he 
detected  the  dim  outline  of  his  mare  close  at  hand,  and,  approach 
ing  nearer,  was  astonished  to  find  there  was  a  man  in  the  sad 
dle. 

"  Ahem,"  ejaculated  Slowboy,  after  standing  a  few  seconds  ir 
resolutely  in  the  highway. 

The  man  who  had  usurped  his  place  sat  upright  in  the  saddle, 
maintaining  perfect  silence.  There  was,  as  said,  a  little  glimmer 
of  light  in  the  road,  and  by  its  aid  Slowboy  could  see  the  face  of 
him  who  bestrode  Martha  Washington.  It  was  as  white  as  a  piece 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  251 

of  chalk,  and  the  head  was  held  so  erect  that  the  countenance  of 
the  stranger  was  directed  apparently  toward  some  object  in  the 
distance  considerably  above  the  level  of  the  earth.  The  individual 
who  thus  ignored  the  lawyer's  presence  was  also,  as  Slowboy 
could  tell  on  slight  inspection,  very  slim  of  figure,  and  the  tallest 
person  he  ever  remembered  to  have  met. 

As  the  attorney  stood  in  the  road  and  silently  gazed  at  the  mys 
terious  tall  man  sitting  in  his  saddle  the  case  of  Lord  Brougham 
came  back  to  his  mind,  but  he  could  not  recall  having  made  a 
compact  with  any  friend  by  which  the  first  of  the  two  who  shuf 
fled  off  this  mortal  coil  should  return  to  earth  and  make  himself 
known  to  the  other.  It  occurred  to  Slowboy  also  as  being  a  little 
singular  that  Martha  Washington  remained  so  perfectlv  quiet  with 
a  spook  in  the  saddle.  Then  he  reflected  that  the  spook,  if  such  it 
was,  had  no  specific  gravity,  and  therefore  Martha  Washington 
probably  was  not  aware  of  the  fact  that  there  was  anything  at  all 
atop  of  her.  As  he  turned  over  these  matters  in  his  mind  the  tall 
man  with  the  very  white  face  reached  out  a  very  long  arm  and 
slowly  beckoned  Slowboy  to  draw  nearer.  At  the  same  moment 
Martha  Washington  turned,  and  at  a  deliberate  gait  walked  off 
down  the  road.  The  tall  man  in  the  saddle  continued  to  beckon 
to  Slowboy,  thereby  indicating  plainly  enough  that  it  was  desired 
he  should  follow  after. 

Solomon  Slowboy  was  no  coward,  nor  was  he  a  man  to  lose  his 
head  in  a  sudden  emergency.  When  he  saw  the  mare  walking 
away  he  was  strongly  tempted  to  pull  the  pistol  which  Miss  Bas- 
combe  had  loaned  him,  and  take  one  crack,  hit  or  miss,  at  the  rider 
who  had  so  coolly  appropriated  his  property.  Then  he  reflected 
that  this  rider,  whether  human  or  diabolical,  had  not  made  any 
such  demonstration  against  him  as  would  justify  a  deadly  assault 
on  his  part ;  and  moreover  that — whatever  might  be  his  character 
— he  almost  certainly  had  associates  near  at  hand  who  would  take 
part  in  any  affray  that  might  arise.  Reflecting  thus  he  refrained 
from  drawing  his  pistol,  and  his  next  impulse  was  to  take  to  his 
heels  and  leave  Martha  Washington  for  the  remainder  of  her 
life  in  the  hands  of  the  taciturn  stranger  who  seemed  to  have  taken 
such  a  violent  fancy  to  her.  This  impulse  also  he  rejected,  not 
only  because  he  deemed  such  a  course  would  be  unbefitting  a  brave 
man  and  a  rational  creature,  but  upon  the  further  consideration 
that  they  would  be  almost  certain  to  catch  him  if  he  ran.  The  long 
arm  of  the  stranger  continued  to  beckon  as  Martha  Washington 


252  The  K.  K.  K. 

proceeded  slowly  down  the  road,  and  Slowboy,  resolved  to  see  the 
end  of  so  curious  an  adventure  obeyed  the  behest  and  followed 
after.  Upon  the  supposition  that  the  stranger  was  human  his  con 
duct  was  utterly  unaccountable ;  upon  the  supposition  that  he  was 
not  of  earth's  mortal  mould,  it  might  be  conjectured  that  he  had 
business  of  importance  with  the  attorney,  the  nature  of  which  he 
was  not  permitted  to  communicate  except  at  a  certain  spot  and  in  a 
certain  way.  Upon  either  supposition  all  that  remained  for  Slow- 
boy  to  do  was  to  follow  on  with  as  stout  a  heart  as  possible  and 
await  developments. 

The  unknown  rider  proceeded  at  a  gentle  walk  for  a  short  dis 
tance  along  the  same  route  that  Slowboy  had  been  pursuing ;  then 
Martha  Washington  diverged  to  the  left,  and  presently  began  to 
climb  a  rugged  hill  that  rose  a  little  way  off  from  the  highway.  It 
was  not  very  steep,  and  soon  the  summit  was  reached,  and  the  gray 
mare  began  to  descend  upon  the  other  side.  The  lawyer  followed 
without  difficulty,  for  he  could  not  only  hear  her  footsteps,  but 
could  distinguish  her  figure  dimly  in  the  darkness.  At  the  top  of 
the  hill  he  halted  as  if  uncertain  whether  to  follow  longer,  but  the 
gray  mare  halted  too  a  few  steps  in  advance,  and  he  fancied  he 
could  see  the  long  arm  of  the  silent  rider  beckoning  him  to  ap 
proach.  When  he  started  again  the  mare  started,  and  he  resolved 
to  display  no  more  hesitation,  but  to  win  if  possible  the  good  will 
of  the  mysterious  being  ahead  by  obeying  its  summons  with  alac 
rity.  They  were  now  again  in  a  dense  wood,  and  the  lawyer 
pressed  close  upon  the  heek  of  the  mare  for  fear  of  losing  sight 
of  her.  It  was  not  many  minutes  before  they  began  descending  a 
deep  hollow  with  a  high  ridge  on  either  side.  Leaving  this  the 
mare  picked  her  way  slowly  up.  the  rough  acclivity  on  the  left,  and 
as  she  did  so  Slowboy  observed  that  the  space  above  and  imme 
diately  in  front  of  him  was  illuminated  by  a  faint  ruddy  light. 
Reaching  the  summit  of  this  ridge  they  descended  abruptly  into 
a  circular  basin,  from  the  bottom  of  which,  as  Slowboy  could  tell, 
the  reddish  light  proceeded.  The  stranger  mounted  on  the  gray 
mare  went  forward  at  a  quicker  gait,  and  the  lawyer  stumbling 
and  keeping  his  eye  on  the  animal  and  her  tall,  lank  rider,  suddenly 
found  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  circle  of  strangely  clad  beings  in 
human  form,  who,  with  dejected  heads,  sat  in  silence  around  him. 
The  red  light  disappeared  as  he  came  to  a  halt  at  the  tail  of  Mar 
tha  Washington,  but  the  space  at  the  bottom  of  the  bowl  was 
free  from  timber  growth  of  any  kind,  and  the  open  sky  above  shed 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  253 

an  uncertain  glimmer  about  the  place.  The  moon  was  behind  the 
high  ridge  to  the  right ;  its  beams,  however,  increased  the  bright 
ness  of  the  sky  at  the  zenith,  and  the  reflected  light  made  more  dis 
tinct  objects  immediately  beneath. 

The  singular  creatures  by  whom  Slowboy  found  himself  sur 
rounded  were  arrayed  for  the  most  part  in  white  habiliments, 
though  some  were  draped  from  head  to  foot  in  deep  black.  Many 
were  short  of  stature,  while  not  a  few  were  as  tall  as  the  long,  slim 
figure  that  still  sat  immovable  upon  the  back  of  Martha  Washing 
ton.  As  Slowboy  looked  dubiously  from  one  to  another  of  his  tac 
iturn  associates  he  was  surprised  to  see  his  erstwhile  conductor 
take  off  his  head  and  rest  it  carelessly  on  the  pommel  of  the  saddle 
before  him.  At  this  most  of  the  other  tall  figures  around  him  took 
off  their  heads  and  rested  them  quietly  in  their  laps.  A  deep,  dis 
mal  groan  now  arose  from  the  headless  creature  in  the  saddle,  and 
was  taken  up  and  prolonged  by  his  ghostly  associates.  The  gray 
mare  here  hoisted  her  head,  flung  up  her  tail  and  snorted  in  fear 
and  suspicion.  It  was  the  first  time  she  had  displayed  any  emo 
tion,  and  Slowboy  was  glad  to  note  that  she  was  as  much  im 
pressed  by  the  proceedings  as  he  was.  It  made  him  feel  that  what 
ever  befell  he  had  sympathetic  company. 

Up  to  this  moment  not  a  word  had  been  spoken,  except  the  few 
brief  syllables  uttered  by  the  creature  in  the  wood,  whom  Slow- 
boy  had  been  unable  to  find.  Now  there  came  from  one  beyond 
the  group  in  deep,  hollow  tones,  that  made  him  shiver : 

"  Rash  mortal,  what  wouldst  thou  here  among  us  ?  " 

Not  being  able  to  ascertain  from  what  source  the  voice  ema 
nated,  and  not  being  assured  that  he  himself  was  directly  ad 
dressed,  Slowboy  maintained  what  he  deemed  to  be  a  discreet 
silence. 

"  Rash  mortal,  what  wouldst  thou  here  among  us  ?  "  came  a 
second  time  the'  voice,  which  the  lawyer  could  not  precisely  locate, 
but  which  he  was  quite  sure  did  not  proceed  from  any  one  of  the 
individuals  whom  he  saw  grouped  around  him.  He  could  not 
doubt  upon  reflection  that  the  query  was  addressed  to  him,  since 
he  was  the  only  one  of  those  present  whose  habiliments  indicated 
that  he  wished  to  be  classed  among  human  creatures. 

"  I  came,"  the  attorney  replied  in  a  tone  as  firm  as  he  could  mus 
ter,  "  at  the  beck  of  him  who  sits  on  horseback  here  before  you.  I 
know  not  why  he  summoned  me  to  your  presence." 

"  .Why  didst  thou  summon  this  mortal  to  our  presence  ?  "  de- 


254  The  K.  K.  K. 

manded  the  voice  in  a  tone  of  offended  dignity,  presumably  ad 
dressing  now  Slowboy's  singular  escort. 

The  being  on  the  back  of  Martha  Washington,  who  up  to  this 
moment  had  held  his  head  on  the  saddle  pommel  before  him,  now 
replaced  it  on  his  shoulders,  twisted  it  round  a  time  or  two  as  if  to 
screw  it  tightly  to  his  body,  and  then  responded  in  measured  tones 
that  harrowed  Slowboy's  soul : 

"  He  is  a  1-a-w-y-e-r." 

At  this  announcement  the  whole  assemblage  groaned  most  dis 
mally,  and  each  member  of  the  circle  shook  his  head  so  violently 
that  Slowboy  expected  to  see  several  pates  drop  off  and  roll  upon 
the  ground  before  him.  Finally  they  all  rose  as  if  by  common 
consent,  and,  joining  hands,  began  to  skip  and  spin  round  him  and 
the  gray  mare,  uttering  a  low  and  monotonous  groan  or  mournful 
humming  noise  as  they  did  so. 

Being  utterly  unused  to  such  proceedings,  the  lawyer  observed 
them  closely  and  busied  his  mind  with  endeavoring  to  determine 
the  significance  of  their  capering.  It  was  evident  that  the  fact  of 
his  being  a  member  of  the  legal  fraternity  had  made  a  powerful 
impression  upon  them.  As  they  spun  round  and  groaned,  the  red 
light  again  made  the  atmosphere  lurid  above  them  and  gave  them 
more  the  appearance  of  demons  than  they  had  borne  before.  The 
gray  mare,  greatly  excited,  raised  her  head,  flung  up  her  tail,  and 
spun  round  and  round  in  her  place  as  if  with  some  wild  idea  of 
keeping  them  company.  Slowboy  took  a  firm  grip  on  his  mind 
and  made  a  desperate  effort  to  retain  his  composure,  which  he 
found  under  the  circumstances  to  be  no  easy  job. 

When  the  excitement  was  partly  subsided  the  voice  in  the  rear 
pronounced  in  a  tone  of  inquiry  the  syllables  "  Law-yer,"  and  the 
tall  being  on  the  back  of  Martha  Washington  responded  a  second 
time  in  the  most  melancholy  accent :  "  L-A-W-Y-E-R."  At  this 
the  wild  creatures  in  the  circle,  as  if  the  intelligence  was  more 
than  they  could  bear  with  equanimity,  whirled  round  more  rapidly 
than  at  first,  and  their  moan  grew  into  a  howl  4:hat  could  have  been 
heard  a  half-mile  away.  The  tall  being  in  the  saddle,  who  seemed 
to  have  some  sort  of  control  over  them,  now  lifted  his  long  arms 
and  motioned  them  all  to  be  still.  Without  a  word  each  member 
of  the  circle  dropped  back  to  his  place,  and,  seating  himself  on  the 
earth,  hung  his  head  in  dejected  silence. 

Then  came  again  the  sepulchral  voice  that  proceeded  from  none 
of  the  group  about  him.  "  Out  of  a  thousand  lawyers  there  may  by 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  255 

accident  be  discovered  one  good  man.  See  if  this  mortal  here  be 
fore  us  comes  under  the  rule  or  the  rare  exception." 

Then  four  tall  figures  stepped  forth  from  their  places  in  the  cir 
cumference  of  the  circle  and  approached  Slowboy,  who  stood  ap 
prehensively  in  the  center.  Each  of  the  four  held  in  his  hand  what 
seemed  to  be  a  keen  sword  of  not  less  than  seven  feet  in  length,  and 
so  bright  that  the  blade  glistened  in  the  glimmering  light  of  the  sky. 
While  the  lawyer  watched  these  figures  with  intense  interest  the 
tall  man  in  the  saddle  leaned  forward  and  suddenly  dropped  over 
his  head  and  shoulders  a  wide  black  bag,  which  completely  ob 
scured  his  view.  He  was  thus  left  in  total  darkness,  but  could 
hear  the  stealthy  tread  of  those  approaching  him  with  uplifted 
weapons  and  the  low  moan  that  was  now  resumed  round  the 
circle. 

"  Mortal,"  proclaimed  the  melancholy  voice  once  more,  "  the 
test  to  which  you  are  about  to  be  subjected  will  show  us  whether 
you  are  to  be  classed  with  the  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
abominable  lawyers  that  should  not  be  permitted  to  cumber  the 
earth,  or  whether  you  are  the  thousandth  man  who  by  some  piece 
of  ill  luck  has  stumbled  upon  a  calling  that  no  honest  human 
being  would  deliberately  choose." 

Then  was  heard  a  scraping  and  rasping,  as  if  the  weapons  were 
being  sharpened  preparatory  to  some  fearful  test. 

"  Mortal,"  remarked  the  voice,  "  our  attendant  hobgoblin  will 
now  take  you  by  the  arm  and  lead  you  forward.  At  the  third,  sev 
enth  and  eleventh  steps  I  warn  you  to  lift  high  your  left  leg  and 
proceed  with  extreme  caution,  for  you  will  then  be  surmounting 
the  keen  sword  of  vengeance  that  will  surely  gash  your  unworthy 
flesh  if  you  are  not  in  rectitude  of  soul  far  above  the  average  law 
yer.  If  you  stand  this  crucial  test  we  will  take  you  to  our  confines 
and  release  you  with  the  admonition  to  forsake  your  calling  ere  we 
meet  again.  Should  blood  be  drawn,  or  should  you  flinch  from  the 
test,  or  cry  out  in  perturbation  of  spirit,  it  will  be  convincing  proof 
to  us  that  you  are  an  unrepentant  and  incorrigible  member  of  the 
despicable  fraternity  of  lawyers,  and  you  shall  surely  die  the 
death.  Attendant  hdbgoblin,  lead  the  mortal  on." 

As  Slowboy  stepped  forward  he  could  not  help  feeling  agi 
tated  by.  the  rasping  sound  of  the  long  swords  stroked  against  each 
other  to  sharpen  their  edges.  He  kept  in  his  mind,  however,  the 
fact  that  he  would  only  encounter  these  dangerous  weapons  at  the 
third,  seventh  and  eleventh  steps  of  his  progress,  and  resolved  to 


256  The  K.  K.  K. 

lift  his  left  leg  so  high,  and  feel  his  way  so  cautiously,  as  not  to  re 
ceive  hurt  if  'twas  possible  to  avoid  it.  His  strange  companions 
had  chosen  to  hang  the  issue  of  life  or  death  on  this  preposterous 
test,  and  while  their  conduct  in  doing  so  was  absurd,  Slowboy  was 
compelled  to  admit  to  himself  that  it  was  not  without  precendent. 
Wager  of  battle  had  been  frequently  resorted  to  by  them  of  old 
time  to  decide  important  issues,  and  learned  judges — if  his  law 
books  were  to  be  credited — had  on  divers  occasions  caused  old 
women  to  be  cast  into  deep  water  to  determine  whether  or  no  they 
were  witches.  The  lawyer  therefore,  through  whose  trained  mind 
these  precedents  passed  hurriedly,  did  not  deem  it  an  unheard-of 
thing  that  his  wild  captors,  devil  or  human,  should  choose  to  sub 
ject  him  to  the  ordeal  through  which  he  was  now  to  pass,  and  let 
the  question  as  to  whether  they  should  murder  him  or  free  him  be 
determined  by  his  ability  to  lift  his  left  leg  to  a  required  height  at 
a  critical  moment. 

As  the  attorney  set  out  he  took  two  firm  steps,  and  those  around 
him  maintained  profound  silence.  At  the  third  step  they  raised  a 
dismal  groan,  which  was  accompanied  by  some  kind  of  doleful 
wind  instrument  that  he  had  not  heard  before.  He  lifted  his  left 
leg  slowly  as  high  as  he  could,  advanced  it  cautiously  over  the  fear 
ful  weapon  he  was  convinced  must  be  thereabouts  and  set  it  down 
safely  upon  the  other  side.  Three  more  forward  steps  were  then 
taken  in  silence.  Again  the  mournful  howl  was  set  up,  and  the 
wind  instrument  resumed  its  plaint,  and  again  with  the  black  bag 
over  his  head  the  lawyer  surmounted  the  sword  of  vengeance.  The 
strain  upon  him  was  fearful,  but  he  knew  that  his  life  was  at  stake, 
and  summoned  up  all  his  fortitude  as  he  approached  the  eleventh 
step  of  his  progress.  The  groaning  was  now  redoubled,  an  occa 
sional  shriek  rent  the  air,  and  the  wind  instrument  sent  forth  a 
wilder  wail  than  ever  issued  from  the  throat  of  a  catamount.  He 
became  perplexed  as  to  whether  he  had  reached  the  tenth  or  elev 
enth  step  of  his  way,  but  in  desperation  raised  his  left  leg  to  a 
height  he  had  not  before  reached  and  extended  his  toe  cautiously 
forward  in  the  darkness.  As  he  made  this  supreme  effort  he  was 
supported  by  his  right  foot  on  tiptoe,  and  could  not  have  main 
tained  his  balance  but  for  the  clutch  of  the  attendant  hobgoblin 
Upon  his  arm.  While  he  paused  thus  in  the  midst  of  the  confusing 
hubbub,  of  a  sudden  something  like  the  talon  of  a  bird  of  prey 
gripped  him  by  the  calf  of  the  leg  on  which  he  stood,  at  the  same 
moment  the  attendant  let  go,  and,  stumbling  heavily  forward,  he 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  257 

fell  to  the  earth.  As  he  did  so  the  black  bag  either  dropped  or  was 
snatched  from  his  head,  and,  struggling  in  confusion  to  his  feet, 
he  saw  the  whole  array  of  hobgoblins  gesticulating  and  leaping 
about,  apparently  in  ecstacy.  Martha  Washington  had  been  re 
moved  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  circle,  but  was  still  in  view  with  the 
headless  spook  sitting  motionless  in  the  saddle.  The  groans  and 
the  wail  of  the  wind  instrument  reverberated  through  the  neigh 
boring  hills,  and  the  red  glare  flared  over  surrounding  objects  till 
the  whole  appeared  to  the  lawyer's  excited  imagination  like  a 
scene  from  the  lower  region. 

The  headless  horseman  now  lifted  his  long  arms  and  once  again 
all  was  still.  Then  from  the  outer  darkness  the  sepulchral  voice 
was  heard :  "  Mortal,  the  infallible  test  proclaims  thee  to  be 
neither  better  nor  worse  than  others  of  thy  despicable  calling. 
This  night  it  is  decreed  thou  shalt  leave  the  earth  upon  which  thou 
are  not  fit  to  dwell.  As  talking  is  thy  trade,  however,  thou  mayest 
speak  a  few  last  words  before  the  hobgoblin  executioner  severs  thy 
head  from  thy  vile  body." 

Finding  in  this  permission  some  slight  opportunity  to  plead  his 
own  cause,  Slowboy  cleared  his  throat  and  made  bold  to  address 
the  singular  creatures  by  whom  he  was  surrounded. 

"  Gentlemen,  or  wild  men,  or  whoever  you  be,"  he  began,  "  I 
have  to  inform  you  at  the  outset  of  my  remarks  that  I  no  more 
consider  you  hobgoblins  than  I  consider  myself  a  hobgoblin.  I 
have  serious  doubts  in  my  mind  as  to  whether  there  be  any  such 
creatures  as  hobgoblins  in  the  established  order  of  things  about  us, 
but  waiving  this  point  I  am  convinced  you  cannot  be  classed  among 
such  beings,  for,  unless  I  am  much  mistaken,  I  have  seen  to-night 
the  breeches  legs  of  two  or  three  of  you  sticking  out  from  under 
the  curious  attire  you  have  seen  fit  to  assume  for  the  occasion.  I 
say  this  not  for  the  purpose  of  criticizing  your  make-up — which 
I  admit  to  be  creditable — but  because  it  becomes  necessary  here 
for  me  to  fashion  my  argument  either  upon  the  assumption  that 
you  are  mortals  like  myself,  or  that  you  are  whimsical  creatures  of 
the  upper  air  upon  whom  in  all  likelihood  both  argument  and  en 
treaty  would  be  wasted.  If  you  spent  your  time  in  matting  horses' 
tails,  causing  cream  to  sour,  and  performing  other  like  mad  pranks, 
I  could  not  hope  to  reach  you  by  any  appeal  to  your  reason,  but 
proceeding  upon  the  theory  that  you  are  human  creatures  I  ask 
you  what  you  have  to  gain  by  murdering  me  to-night  down  here 
at  the  bottom  of  this  sink-hole?  I  say  murdering  me  because, 


258  The  K.  K.  K. 

while  you  may  perhaps  claim  that  you  have  vouchsafed  me 
some  sort  of  a  trial  I  can  convince  you  in  a  moment,  if  you  will 
pay  attention  to  what  I  say,  that  you  are  wholly  in  error  on  this 
point.  I  do  not  deny  that  at  one  period  of  our  history  matters  of 
life  and  death  were  decided  by  tests  as  unreasonable  as  that  to 
which  you  have  just  subjected  me,  but  I  remind  you  not  only  that 
all  such  methods  are  now  obsolete,  but  moreover  that  even  when 
resorted  to  by  them  of  old  the  charge  under  investigation  was  in 
each  instance  one  that  if  proven  would  have  been  punishable  with 
death  by  the  law  of  the  land.  Now  here  there  is  no  charge  at  all 
pending  against  me,  or  if  there  be  any  at  all  it  is  of  such  frivolous 
nature  that  no  judge  could  pronounce  sentence  upon  it  if  I  had 
been  formally  declared  guilty  by  a  sworn  jury  in  the  court  house. 
The  only  accusation  I  have  heard  is  that  in  the  first  place  I  am  a 
lawyer,  and  in  the  second  place  that  I  am  no  better  than  the  great 
majority  of  members  of  my  calling.  You  need  not  have  re 
quired  me  to  step  over  keen-edged  swords  to  establish  the  truth 
or  falsity  of  such  averments,  for  I  cheerfully  concede  that  I  am 
a  lawyer,  and  I  lay  no  claim  to  being  better  in  any  way  than  the 
thousands  of  great  and  good  men  who  in  every  age  have  adorned 
my  profession.  Why  should  any  sane  man,  my  friends,  think 
less  of  me  because  I  am  a  lawyer  ?  '  You  will  defend  any  scoun 
drel  for  money ' — one  may  allege.  Why  so  I  will,  but  what  of 
that?  Will  not  the  doctor  physic  the  same  scoundrel  for  money 
if  he  fall  sick,  and  require  medical  aid?  The  doctor — you  may 
say — has  nothing  to  do  with  the  character  of  the  man  who  engages 
his  services.  Neither  have  I,  if  you  will  consider  a  moment.  For 
the  question,  mark  you,  to  be  decided  by  court  and  jury  in  a 
criminal  trial  is  not  whether  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  be  a  scoundrel, 
but  whether  he  has  been  legally  proven  guilty  of  the  specific  charge 
laid  down  in  the  bill  of  indictment.  My  client  may  be  in  truth  the 
biggest  rascal  that  ever  went  unhung,  nay  he  may  have  actually 
committed  the  very  crime  laid  at  his  door,  but  if  this  fact  can  not 
be  proven  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  twelve  good  and  lawful  men, 
and  that  too  in  accordance  with  certain  time  honored  rules  laid 
down  in  the  law  books,  he  must  be  permitted  to  walk  out  of  court 
a  free  man,  leaving  Omnipotence  to  mete  out  to  him  fitting  punish 
ment  in  the  next  world.  " 

At  this  point  one  of  the  spectral  auditors  groaned  aloud,  and 
rising  flourished  his  arms  wildly  about  for  a  few  seconds.  Giving 
no.  'heecl  to  this  ungentlemanly  interruption  Slowboy  proceeded 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  259 

with  his  argument. — "But  possibly  some  one  will  say — 'You  keep  a 
cause  in  court  almost  interminably,  and  exhaust  the  patience  of  the 
entire  community  before  you  will  permit  your  client  to  come  to 
trial  at  all.'  So  I  will,  my  friends,  if  necessity  demand,  but  what 
fair-minded  person  can  censure  me  for  so  doing?  If  I  see  immedi 
ate  destruction  overhanging  my  client,  and  by  availing  myself 
of  certain  well  established  rules  laid  down  in  the  books  I  can  for  a 
time  avert  that  destruction,  shall  I  not  do  so  ?  Will  not  the  doctor 
if  his  patient  be  at  death's  door  use  all  his  skill  to  prevent  immedi 
ate  dissolution  in  the  hope  that  the  case  may  after  a  while,  by  some 
lucky  chance,  take  a  turn  for  the  better  ?  He  surely  will,  and  may 
not  the  lawyer  when  he  finds  his  client  in  like  predicament,  by 
skillfully  drawn  affidavits  for  continuance,  and  other  legitimate 
dilatory  tactics,  postpone  the  hearing  from  term  to  term  in  the 
hope  that  after  a  while  important  witnesses  may  die  off,  or  grow 
tired  tramping  to  court,  and  testimony  necessary  for  conviction 
being  thus  gotten  rid  of  his  lucky  client  may  at  last  find  himself 
snatched,  as  it  were,  from  the  very  jaws  of  death?" 

Here  the  speaker  was  again  interrupted,  several  of  the  hobgob 
lins  rising  and  gesticulating  furiously  in  manifest  disapproval 
of  his  utterances.  A  good  lawyer  is  always  more  intent  upon 
winning  his  case  than  on  making  a  creditable  speech,  and  Slow- 
boy  observing  the  thickening  signs  of  trouble  concluded  to  steer 
his  discourse  in  a  direction  somewhat  different  from  that  which 
he  had  been  hitherto  pursuing.  "Perhaps,  my  friends,"  he  con 
tinued,  "this  is  not  the  occasion  upon  which  to  press  the  point  I 
have  just  been  endeavoring  to  make  clear  to  your  minds.  I  will 
therefore,  with  your  permission,  waive  it  for  the  present,  and  to 
convince  you  that  my  avocation  is  respectable  will  remind  you  of 
at  least  one  attorney  who  by  the  common  judgement  of  posterity 
was  a  credit  to  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  When  the  Savior  of 
mankind  hung  on  the  cross,  and  all  his  disciples  forsook  him  and 
fled,  who  was  it  that  boldly  confronted  the  murderous  Jews,  and 
demanded  his  body  for  decent  burial?  It  was  Joseph  of  Ari- 
mathea,  a  lawyer,  who  performed  this  righteous  act,  and  shall  it 
be  said  of  you  that  two  thousand  years  later,  in  a  Christian  land 
you  killed  a  man  for  no  other  crime  than  that  of  being  found  in 
such  good  company  ?" 

At  this  the  whole  posse  of  hobgoblins  rose,  and  began  skipping 
madly  round  Slowboy,  convincing  him  that  their  patience  was 
now  exhausted.  The  headless  rider  upon  Martha  Washington 
after  a  few  minutes  quieted  them  by  raising  his  long  arm,  and 


260  The  K.  K.  K. 

Slowboy,  having  no  heart  to  proceed  further,  stood  in  the  midst  of 
the  strange  group  awaiting  his  doom. 

"  Wretched  lawyer,"  cried  the  sepulchral  voice  from  the  outer 
darkness,  "  thy  tongue  hath  failed  this  once  to  screen  the  guilty, 
nor  art  thou  now  before  a  tribunal  where  sentence  for  thy  mis 
deeds  can  be  indefinitely  postponed  to  await  the  pleasure  of  the 
criminal.  This  night,  this  moment,  shalt  thou  feel  the  fearful 
sword  of  vengeance.  Hobgoblin  executioner,  away  with  such  a 
fellow  from  the  earth." 

A  lank  creature  with  an  uplifted  sword  of  frightful  length  now 
advanced  menacingly  upon  him.  A  cold,  bluish  flame  lit  up  the 
scene,  that  imparted  to  the  figures  of  the  group  and  other  objects 
a  weird  and  ghastly  complexion.  Nearer  and  nearer  drew  the  lank 
form  of  the  hobgoblin  executioner ;  the  long  blade  of  his  weapon 
shimmered  in  the  ghastly  light,  and  the  miserable  attorney  uncon 
sciously  bowed  his  head  as  though  to  receive  the  impending  stroke. 
As  he  leaned  forward  toward  the  earth  the  missive  which  the  girl 
had  given  him  a  few  hours  before  slipped  from  his  side  pocket  and 
fell  to  the  ground.  In  an  instant  he  recalled  the  words  she  had  ut 
tered  on  placing  it  in  his  possession,  and  taking  it  hurriedly  be 
tween  his  fingers  he  presented  it  to  the  headsman,  who  was  now 
close  upon  him  and  about  to  strike. 

As  he  took  up  the  paper  the  gaunt  hobgoblin  paused.  On  the 
back  of  the  envelope  there  was,  as  said,  no  inscription,  but  instead  a 
human  hand  had  been  cleverly  drawn  in  red  ink,  the  thumb  and  lit 
tle  finger  closed,  the  other  three  fingers  extended.  The  lawyer  had 
noticed  this  hand  when  he  placed  the  letter  in  his  pocket,  but  had 
not  deemed  it  of  special  significance.  The  creature  with  the  long 
sword,  however,  as  soon  as  his  eyes  fell  upon  it  lowered  his  wea 
pon,  and  with  visible  agitation  took  the  envelope  from  the  hand 
of  the  attorney.  He  then  backed  swiftly  to  the  outer  edge  of  the 
circle  and  beyond  his  associates,  into  the  outer  darkness.  Here 
he  remained  for  what  seemed  a  considerable  length  of  time. 
Slowboy  stood  in  painful  suspense,  while  those  grouped  in  a  circle 
about  him  were  manifestly  disturbed  from  some  cause.  At  last 
came  again  the  voice  from  the  darkness,  but  this  time  in  a  softer 
tone: 

"  Mortal,  thou  mayest  live.  It  is  so  decreed  by  one  whose  man 
date  we  dare  not  disobey.  Drain  the  horn  of  fellowship  with  the 
mystic  clan  and  go  thy  way." 

Again  the  scene  was  lit  up,  first  by  red  and  then  by  the  ghastly 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  261 

blue  light.  A  more  jovial  sound  was  echoed  around  the  circle. 
Sharp  cries  of  animals  were  imitated,  the  hoot  of  the  horned  owl 
was  heard,  and  other  grotesque  noises  startled  the  night.  Large 
drinking  horns  were  then  introduced,  filled  with  some  kind  of 
liquid  and  drained  again  and  again  by  the  members  of  the  disor 
derly  group.  One  more  fantastically  arrayed  than  any  he  had  yet 
noticed  now  approached  Slowboy,  bearing  in  his  hand  a  drinking 
vessel,  which  looked  like  the  crooked  horn  of  an  old  ram.  This 
was  filled  to  the  brim,  and  the  lawyer,  who  had  no  wish  to  offend 
his  new-found  friends,  without  hesitation  raised  it  to  his  lips,  and 
dared  not  take  it  away  till  the  last  drop  was  down  his  throat.  He 
began  his  task  with  confidence,  as  he  had  seen  the  others  imbibe 
so  freely,  but  he  came  near  being  strangled  before  he  finished  his 
potation.  He  was  compelled  to  swallow  slowly,  as  the  horn  was 
crooked  and  deep,  and  distinctly  tasted — as  he  afterward  avowed — 
peach  brandy,  corn  whisky,  persimmon  beer,  hard  cider,  and  pep 
per  sauce,  as  the  mixture  slid  down  into  his  bowels.  When  he  had 
finished  he  handed  the  ram's  horn  back  to  his  obsequious  attend 
ant  and  did  not  ask  for  more. 

The  confusion  about  Slowboy  now  rapidly  increased,  and  many 
of  the  hobgoblins  displayed  a  disposition  to  become  hilarious.  The 
creature  on  the  back  of  Martha  Washington  waved  his  arms  in 
a  frantic  way,  but  none  of  his  subjects  paid  any  attention  to 
him.  The  mare  herself,  as  if  pleased  with  the  turn  affairs  were 
taking,  raised  her  head  and  sent  forth  a  cheerful  nicker  that  en 
couraged  the  soul  of  the  lawyer.  The  whole  scene  by  this  time  was 
beginning  to  swim  round  him,  and  he  was  fast  lapsing  into  that 
condition  when — to  use  a  boyish  phrase — he  didn't  care  whether 
school  kept  or  not.  At  this  moment  the  voice,  somewhat  unsteady, 
was  heard  once  more  addressing  itself  to  him : 

"  Mortal,  canst  thou  not  use  thy  tongue  in  bidding  thankful 
adieu  to  thy  hobgoblin  friends  ?  " 

Slowboy,  while  recognizing  his  unfitness  for  the  task  assigned 
him,  now  braced  himself  for  a  supreme  effort. 

"  Suttinly,  gen'lemun,"  he  began.  "  Appy,  I  'shure  you ;  'appy 
to  stan'  'fo'  you  on  this  aus — aus — auspishus  'cashun.  Am  indeed, 
I  'shure  you.  Give  you  my  word,  gen'lemun,  gen'lemun — shury, 
never  been  so  drefful  'appy  befo'  in  all  my  born  days.  Thas-er- 
fack.  As  to  that  wot  I  said  'bout  Shoseff  Arrymarthuer,  'twuz  all 
damn  foolishness,  an'  I  take  it  back." 

At  this  candid  retraction  the  enthusiasm  of  the  hobgoblins  broke 


262  The  K.  K.  K. 

bounds,  and  they  crowded  about  him  to  grasp  his  hands  and  to 
offer  him  liquor.  His  legs,  however,  had  been  growing  alarmingly 
weak  for  some  minutes  and  they  now  failed  him  altogether.  With 
a  sickly  smile,  and  a  deprecating  wave  of  the  hand,  he  rejected  the 
invitations  to  swallow  more  ghoulish  drink,  and,  sinking  to  the 
earth,  stretched  himself  out  with  as  much  composure  as  if  he  had 
been  at  home  in  bed.  How  long  he  laid  there,  and  who  carried 
him  off,  he  could  never  tell.  When  he  woke  the  sun  was  shining 
brightly  overhead,  and  he  was  lying  only  a  little  piece  off  from  the 
main  highway  with  Martha  Washington  tied  to  his  leg. 

Crawling  feebly  into  his  saddle,  Mr.  Slowboy  pursued  his  jour 
ney  homeward.  As  he  went  he  reflected.  Halting  at  the  first 
stream  on  his  route  he  washed  his  face,  drank  copiously,  and,  re 
mounting,  rode  on  and  reflected  again.  What  connection  was 
there  between  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  and  the  hobgoblins?  If  none, 
how  did  it  happen  that  the  letter  of  the  former  had  such  an  aston 
ishing  effect  upon  the  latter?  But  then  she  loaned  him  a  pistol 
which  he  might  have  used  with  deadly  effect  if  he  had  chosen.  In 
some  apprehension  he  here  felt  for  the  pistol  and  found  it  safe  in 
his  hip  pocket.  He  examined  it  carefully  and  found  that  all  the 
leaden  balls  had  been  drawn,  leaving  only  charges  of  powder  in 
the  cylinders.  This  was  a  very  singular  piece  of  business.  The 
hobgoblins  certainly  had  not  withdrawn  the  balls  before  he  fell 
into  a  stupor,  and  why  should  they  have  chosen  to  do  so  after 
wards  ?  Was  it  possible  that  the  young  lady  had  purposely  given 
him  a  harmless  pistol  when  she  had  reason  to  suppose  he  would 
fall  into  such  dangerous  company  on  his  route?  Mr.  Slowboy 
rode  on  and  reflected,  but  the  more  his  mind  dwelt  on  the  subject 
the  more  puzzled  he  became.  He  was  conscious  of  a  very  decided 
headache  which  probably  had  something  to  do  with  his  inability 
to  solve  the  problem  in  hand.  When  he  reached  home  he  went 
to  bed  and  fell  asleep  again.  It  was  not  until  nearly  noon  of  the 
next  day  that  he  walked  languidly  to  the  office  of  Palaver  &  Slow- 
boy,  and  undertook  to  give  an  account  of  himself. 

The  account  which  Slowboy  gave  of  his  adventure  with  the  hob 
goblins  in  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  and  his  explanation  of  what  he 
there  saw  and  experienced,  was  not  satisfactory  to  himself,  and, 
therefore,  it  could  not  be  supposed  that  it  would  be  entirely  sat 
isfactory  to  others.  Some  said  he  got  on  a  tear  in  Nashville,  and 
had  a  plain  case  of  the  jim-jams  on  his  way  home.  Other  some 
that,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  much  study  had  in- 


Mr.  Slowboy  Travels  a  Lonely  Road  by  Night.  263 

clined  him  to  madness.  His  mother  and  most  of  the  old  ladies  in 
the  community  were  firmly  of  the  opinion  that  he  had  encountered 
a  legion  of  devils  in  the  God-forsaken  hill  country,  and  I  desire 
to  go  on  record  here  as  affirming  that  in  my  judgment  the  conclu 
sion  they  reached  was  based  upon  evidence  of  a  highly  persuasive 
nature.  It  is  quite  true  that  up  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  as 
tounding  transactions  just  narrated,  the  report  gained  credence 
that  the  whole  thing  was  a  job  put  up  on  Lawyer  Slowboy  by  one 
Teddy  Mclntosh,  It  was  there  whispered  around  that  Teddy 
somehow  got  wind  of  Slowboy's  visit  to  Miss  Sue  Bascombe,  and 
resolved  to  waylay  the  lawyer  on  his  road  home  and  give  him 
some  idea  of  life  in  the  knobs.  It  was  further  whispered  that  the 
young  lady  above  mentioned  was  informed  of  Teddy's  plan,  and, 
wishing  both  to  aid  him  and  keep  him  within  the  bounds  of  mod 
eration,  she  loaned  Slowboy  a  pistol  with  which  he  could  hurt  no 
body,  and  at  the  same  time  intrusted  him  with  a  sealed  paper  that, 
presented  in  the  nick  of  time,  would  prevent  his  being  handled 
too  roughly  by  her  friends.  Such  a  report,  I  say,  gained  credence 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  occurrence,  but  it  was  too  preposterous 
to  merit  serious  consideration,  and  I  am  sure  the  intelligent  reader 
will  give  little  heed  to  it.  The  facts  were  exactly  as  I  have  stated 
them,  and  about  all  that  can  with  assurance  be  said  of  them  is  that, 
taken  all  together,  they  present  a  dark  problem,  which  neither  you 
nor  I  nor  Mr.  Solomon  Slowboy  will  -ever  be  wise  enough  to 
solve. 


264  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

MR.  BOB  LEE  TEMPLETON  DISTINGUISHES  HIMSELF  AT  THE 
WOODPILE. 

LEST  the  reader  should  rashly  conclude  that  nobody  but  Solomon 
Slowboy  could  ride  the  road  in  the  parts  of  which  this  narrative 
treats,  I  take  pleasure  in  stating  that  one  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  in 
the  county  aforesaid,  and  at  or  about  the  time  heretofore  men 
tioned,  was  frequently  observed  galloping  up  and  down  the  high 
ways  and  whistling  to  himself  as  if  compelled  to  thus  give  vent 
to  his  cheerfulness.  If  his  horse's  head  was  turned  toward  the 
heart  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills  he  usually  rode  rapidly  and  drew 
rein  about  nightfall  at  the  front  gate  of  Major  Habersham.  When 
proceeding  in  the  opposite  direction  he  traveled  more  slowly,  and 
whistled  a  softer  tune,  but  a  look  of  supreme  satisfaction  still 
abode  with  him.  He  never  recovered  the  valuable  animal  that 
was  stolen  from  the  Habersham  premises,  nor  did  he  get  back 
his  liberal  subscription  for  the  six  Bibles  that  were  to  have 
been  delivered  a  few  weeks  later  and  were  not.  These  untoward 
accidents,  however,  by  no  means  engendered  in  his  mind  a  preju 
dice  against  the  Habersham  house  or  the  innocent  members  of 
the  Habersham  family.  He  continued  his  visits  as  before,  and  all 
through  the  pleasant  summer  and  the  still  more  delightful  fall 
weather  haunted  the  Habersham  residence  as  persistently  as  if 
he  had  been  a  Yankee  bill  collector  and  the  Major  had  been  bad 
pay.  By  this  time,  you  may  depend  upon  it,  Mr.  Templeton  was 
so  well  versed  in  affairs  of  state  and  the  principles  of  true 
democracy,  that  he  could  have  given  points  to  Grover  Cleveland. 
He  had  also  spent  so  many  hours  in  the  improving  society  of 
Miss  Polly  Habersham  that  he  knew  tolerably  well  how  to  behave 
himself  in  the  company  of  ladies. 

There  is  a  very  old  tradition  which  teaches  us  that  unwedded 
human  creatures,  like  the  birds  of  the  air,  usually  do  their  billing 
cooing  in  the  month  of  May ;  and  the  greatest  of  modern  Eng- 


Mr.  Templeton  Distinguishes  Himself.        265 

lish  poets  has  sung  to  us  in  mellifluous  verse  that — "  In  the  spring 
a  young  man's  fancy  lightly  turns  to  thoughts  of  love."  In  oppo 
sition  to  this  high  authority,  however,  I  venture  to  record  it  as  my 
conviction  that  the  heart  of  the  average  young  man  is  tenderest 
and  most  susceptible  to  blandishment  in  the  falling  of  the  year. 
The  springtime,  of  which  we  hear  so  much,  is  slushy  and  disa 
greeable,  and  the  farmer  lad,  when  not  breaking  ground  for  corn, 
is  wheezing  and  sneezing  in  the  effort  to  rid  himself  of  the  dread 
ful  cold  that  the  winter  has  fastened  on  his  constitution.  When 
the  fall  comes  round,  however,  his  crops  have  been  laid  by,  the 
earth  is  dry  enough  to  make  it  firm  underfoot,  the  heat  of  summer 
is  abated,  and  the  foliage  in  my  part  of  the  world  has  taken  on  a 
hue  that  is  gorgeous  and  beautiful  to  see.  He  who  hath  a  soul 
must  feel  that  soul  expand  beneath  such  influences,  and  if  more 
were  needed  to  turn  his  mind  toward  the  other  sex  there  is  a  frosti- 
ness  in  the  morning  and  evening  air  that  makes  him  rather  choose 
to  seek  a  mate  than  shiver  in  loneliness  through  the  coming  winter. 
It  was  perhaps  for  the  reason,  or  reasons,  so  clearly  stated  above, 
that  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  turned  up  more  frecjuentlv  at  the 
Habersham  mansion  as  the  autumn  advanced  than  he  had  done 
during  the  preceding  sultry  months.  The  hazy  Indian  summer — 
which  was  now  at  hand — cast  a  spell  over  him,  and  his  thoughts 
became  so  attuned  to  that  dreamy  season  of  the  year  that  a  deli 
cious  peace  slid  into  his  soul,  and  he  felt  blissful  all  the  while  with 
out  precisely  understanding  why.  It  came  about  one  evening  in 
the  late  fall  that  Mr.  Templeton  as  usual  was  making  himself  at 
home  under  the  hospitable  Habersham  roof,  and  his  horse — fa 
tigued  from  an  all-day  journey — was  contentedly  resting  its  limbs 
in  the  Habersham  stable.  It  was  about  nine  o'clock.  The  Major, 
being  compelled  to  read  several  speeches  in  the  Congressional 
Record,  had  retired  from  the  sitting-room,  and  Mrs.  Habersham, 
who,  though  of  delicate  constitution,  always  did  her  endeavor  to 
entertain  genteel  company,  had  taken  up  some  light  work  on  which 
she  fancied  she  had  been  engaged,  and  followed  her  husband's  ex 
ample.  Thus  left  alone  the  young  people,  of  course,  did  their  best 
to  get  along  without  outside  assistance.  The  conversation  flowed 
smoothly  and  naturally  enough  for  a  while,  and  everything  be 
tokened  that  the  evening  on  the  whole  would  be  a  success,  when  all 
of  a  sudden,  before  anybody  could  have  suspected  that  a  calamity 
was  impending,  the  chips  gave  put.  The  fire  had  burned  very 
brightly  and  cheerfully  for  a  while,  then  the  blaze  got  lower  and 


266  The  K.  K.  K. 

lower,  then  it  flickered — the  blaze  did — as  if  it  hated  to  give  up, 
but  was  bound  to  give  up ;  then  it  went  out  and  came  back  again, 
and  went  out  and  came  back  a  second  time,  and  tried  to  climb 
a  little  wreath  of  smoke,  and  failed  in  the  attempt,  and  disap 
peared  entirely,  and  that  was  the  very  last  of  it. 

"  Laws  a  mussy,"  cried  Miss  Marie — better  known  as  Polly — 
"  laws  a  mussy,  look  at  that."  And  she  went  up  to  the  big  fire 
place  and  took  the  tongs  in  her  hand  and  poked  about  in  the  em 
bers,  and  heaped  little  particles  of  wood  together,  and  tried  to 
make  the  blaze  come  back,  but  it  wouldn't  come  back,  or  couldn't 
come  back,  I  don't  know  which.  Anyhow  it  didn't. 

"  Now,  that  is  too  bad,"  cried  Miss  Marie,  looking  down  into 
the  fireplace  with  a  vexed  expression  of  countenance.  "  I  told 
that  boy  as  plain  as  I  could  speak  always  to  leave  some  kindling 
here  by  the  mantel,  to  be  used  in  case  of  necessity,  and  now  he's 
gone  off  and  hasn't  left  a  scrimption.  Everybody  knows  that  a  big 
fire  will  burn  right  off  if  you  once  start  it,  but  a  slow  fire  is  liable 
to  give  up  and  quit  at  any  time." 

"  What  must  be  done  ?  "  inquired  Templeton,  who,  from  the 
young  lady's  manner,  was  impelled  to  the  conclusion  that  some 
thing  of  a  discouraging  nature  had  transpired. 

"  There  is  but  one  thing  to  be  done,"  replied  Miss  Marie,  heav 
ing  a  gentle  sigh. 

"What's  that?" 

"  We  must  go  to  the  woodpile  for  chips  ;  there's  no  help  for  it." 

"  Oh,"  ejaculated  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  who,  you  may  de 
pend  upon  it,  could  see  as  far  into  a  millstone  as  the  next  man. 

The  young  lady  here  crossed  her  hands  in  front — she  was  stand 
ing  near  the  fireplace — and  looked  at  Mr.  Templeton  demurely. 

"  There's  no  help  for  it,"  she  repeated,  "  unless " 

"Unless  what?" 

"  Unless  we  adjourn  this  meeting,  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  the 
wisest  thing  we  could  do." 

"  Never,"  cried  Mr.  Templeton,  firmly. 

"  Why,  let's  reflect  upon  the  subject  a  moment,"  argued  the 
young  lady.  "  It's  now  past  nine  o'clock,  and " 

"  A  motion  to  adjourn  is  not  debatable,"  interrupted  Mr.  Tem 
pleton.  "  Besides,  there's  an  important  matter  to  be  settled  before 
we  close  the  meeting." 

"What's  that?" 

"  There's  the  subject  we  discussed  last  Thursday  night,  which 


Mr.  Templeton  Distinguishes  Himself.        267 

by  all  parliamentary  rules  should  come  up  this  evening  under  the 
head  of  unfinished  business.  You  remember,  don't  you  ?  '' 

The  young  lady  shook  her  head  gravely.  "  Can't  say  I  do,"  she 
replied. 

"  Last  Thursday  night,  as  we  sat  over  yonder  on  that  sofa  by  the 
wall." 

She  shook  her  head  again.  Her  memory  must  have  been  singu 
larly  obscure  or  he  was  romancing. 

"  When  I  made  a  certain  emphatic  declaration  and  you  replied, 
'  Nonsen.se/  I  then  repeated  it,  and  you  looked  down  and  didn't 
reply  at  all." 

Her  face  took  on  a  puzzled  look.  "  Can't  say  I  remember  any 
thing  about  it,"  she  answered. 

"  When  I  looked  so  earnestly  into  those  heavenly  eyes,  drew  a 
little  closer  before  you  were  aware  of  it,  and- " 

She  threw  up  both  hands  at  once.  "  I'm  going  to  the  woodpile 
for  chips,"  she  cried. 

Bob  Lee  Templeton  sayeth,  "  I  go  with  you." 

Under  a  narrow  stairway  that  ran  up  on  the  back  porch  there 
was  a  closet  for  odds  and  ends.  Out  of  this  she  fished  a  basket 
of  the  split-bottomed  variety,  very  strong,  and  especially  adapted 
to  the  carrying  of  chips.  Running  her  arm  through  the  handle  of 
this  she  placed  her  father's  old  slouch  hat  on  her  head  and  set 
forth  upon  the  expedition  to  the  woodpile.  "  It  does  seem,"  she 
remarked  despondently  to  Mr.  Templeton  as  they  went  along, 
"  that  I  have  more  bad  luck  than  any  other  girl  in  the  world. 
Here  we  were  doing  well,  weren't  we?  Just  had  settled  down  to 
have  the  nicest  kind  of  a  time,  when  all  of  a  sudden  the  chips  gave 
out.  Now  we  actually  have  to  leave  the  house  and  go  out  in  the 
dark  to  rake  up  chips.  Isn't  it  provoking?" 

"  It's  bad,"  replied  the  young  gentleman,  "  and  no  mistake.  But 
we  must  summon  up  all  our  fortitude  and  endeavor  not  to  let  the 
unfortunate  incident  cast  a  gloom  over  our  spirits."  With  that  he 
whistled  the  snatch  of  a  tune  to  show  he  wasn't  gloomy. 

"  Don't  whistle,"  she  said,  reprovingly. 

"Why?" 

"  Because  you  might  call  the  dog  from  round  the  house.  And, 
moreover,  you  might  disturb  my  father  and  mother,  which  would 
be  wrong  in  you." 

"  On  to  the  woodpile,"  cried  Mr.  Templeton,  in  a  subdued  tone. 
"  I'll  be  good," 


268  The  K.  K.  K. 

It  was  a  starry  night.  A  pale  old  moon,  or  a  piece  of  a  moon, 
was  wrestling  feebly  with  a  gray  mist  that  had  arisen  from  the 
earth.  It  had  just  climbed  into  view  from  behind  a  wide  corn 
field  on  the  east,  and  through  the  light  and  intervening  fog  looked 
dim  and  discouraged.  This  gray  fog,  however,  hung  low,  and 
there  was  every  prospect  that  the  old  moon  would  soon  surmount 
it  and  proceed  more  cheerfully  upon  her  route.  The  stars  over 
head  were  twinkling  brightly  even  now,  and  the  night  atmosphere 
was  decidedly  chilly. 

"There'll  be  a  good  frost  to-night,"  remarked  Miss  Marie,  as  she 
tripped,  basket  in  hand,  toward  the  woodpile.  She  submitted  this 
observation  in  an  undertone,  though  it  did  not  seem  to  be  of  a  con 
fidential  nature. 

"  Shouldn't  wonder,"  replied  the  gallant  escort,  sinking  his  voice 
also,  perhaps  for  fear  of  calling  the  dog  from  round  the  house. 

"  Our  tobacco  is  all  in  the  barn  though/'  continued  the  damsel ; 
"  so  what's  the  odds  ?  " 

Mr.  Robert  Lee  Templeton  walked  briskly  by  her  side.  He 
seemed  to  be  pleased  at  the  intelligence  that  her  tobacco  was  all  in 
the  barn. 

"  These  big  frosts  will  make  the  rabbits  fat  and  frisky,"  pursued 
the  young  lady,  who  seemed  more  in  the  humor  for  scattering  re 
marks  than  sustained  conversation. 

"  Just  what  they  will  do,"  replied  the  agreeable  escort. 

"  And  the  'possums,"  she  added. 

"  And  the  'possums,"  he  echoed. 

"  And  the  persimmons.  These  white  frosts  will  just  make  the 
persimmons  too  luscious  for  anything.  Do  you  love  'simmons, 
Mr.  Templeton  ?  " 

"I  dote  on 'em,  "answered  Templeton,  who  was  growing  reckless. 

"  I  like  'em  the  best  kind,"  said  Miss  Marie,  swinging  her  basket 
vigorously.  "  But  then  again  I  don't  like  'em,  Mr.  Templeton." 

"  Why  not?  "  inquired  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

"  Because  they  pucker  my  mouth." 

"  I'll  fetch  you  a  basketful  next  time  I  come,"  quoth  he.  "  Big 
ripe  fellows." 

"  You're  a  clever  young  man,  Mr.  Templeton,"  she  made  an 
swer.  "  I've  thought  it  for  some  time.  Now  I  know  it." 

"  Big,  nice,  luscious  fellows,"  he  continued,  as  if  in  love  with  his 
subject.  "  And  I  want  you  to  eat  'simmons,  and  eat  'simmons,  till 
your  mouth  will  stay  puckered  for  a  week," 


Mr.  Templeton  Distinguishes  Himself.        269 

Miss  Marie  Habersham :  "  Great  goodness." 

Mr.  Templeton :  "  Then,  you  know,  if  you  felt  like  kissing 
either  one  of  your  parents  your  mouth  will  be  in  shape  for  the 
business. '' 

Miss  Habersham :  "  To  be  sure." 

Mr.  Templeton :  "  And  when  the  transaction  of  kissing  a  parent 
has  been  concluded,  as  your  lips  will  still  be  set  that  way,  I  may  ask 
you  to  oblige  a  friend/' 

Miss  Habersham  (quoting  from  a  familiar  song)  :  "  You'll  be 
silly  if  you  do." 

Mr.  Templeton  (who  was  a  star  debater  at  college)  :  "  I  trust 
you  will  hear  me  before  you  reach  a  definite  conclusion  on  this 
important  subject.  Why  should  I  be  deemed  silly,  my  sprightly 
friend,  if  finding  those  rosy  lips  already  puckered  for  the  business 
I  should  make  bold  to  ask  you  for  a  kiss  ?  Or  indeed  if  the  oppor 
tunity  is  otherwise  favorable,  why  should  I  wait  for  an  artificially 
manufactured  pucker  before  submitting  so  fair  and  reasonable  a 
proposition  ?  Can  it  be  pretended  for  a  moment  that  a  young  lady 
of  such  wit  and  ingenuity  as  the  one  I  now  have  the  honor  of  ad 
dressing  can't  get  up  a  pucker  without  the  aid  of  persimmons? 
Such  a  supposition  is  preposterous.  It  would  be  a  direct  reflection 
upon  the  damsel  in  question  for  me  to  harbor  such  a  thought  for  a 
moment.  Therefore,  my  amiable  young  friend,  as  we  stand  out 
here  together  beneath  the  twinkling  stars,  two  souls — I  trust  it 
may  be  said — with  but  a  single  thought,  two  hearts  that  beat  as 
one " 

Miss  Habersham  (interrupting):  "Your  time's  out.  Here's 
the  woodpile." 

If  any  of  my  readers  have  ever  picked  up  chips  at  a  woodpile 
they  do  not  need  to  be  informed  that  it  is  a  task  requiring  con 
siderable  expertness  and  dexterity  on  the  part  of  the  chip-picker. 
Moreover,  it  is  a  task  that  cannot  be  readily  performed  while  the 
picker  stands  erect  upon  the  earth,  but  it  is  essential  to  the  success 
ful  operation  of  the  business  that  he  or  she  should  stoop  to  conquer. 
It  is  quite  true  that  here  and  there  a  supple  individual  might  be 
found  who  could  stand  with  legs  unbending,  and  by  inclining  the 
body  forward,  and  making  a  particularly  long  arm  of  it,  succeed 
in  picking  up  a  few  chips  from  the  ground.  But  I  hazard  the 
assertion  that  even  such  a  one  would  soon  weary  of  the  posture  if 
there  was  a  basket  of  chips  to  be  picked,  and,  however  punctilious 
upon  ordinary  occasions,  would  be  strongly  tempted  to  assume 


270  The  K.  K.  K. 

while  the  occupation  lasted  an  easier,  if  less  dignified,  position. 
Therefore  no  one  need  be  surprised  when  I  state  that  Miss  Marie 
Habersham  and  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  having  reached  the  spot 
where  business  was  to  be  transacted,  did  not,  like  cousin 
Sallie  Dillard,  undertake  to  be  too  genteel,  but  knuckled  down 
to  their  work  like  sensible  folks,  and  went  about  the  business 
as  if  they  meant  to  pick  up  chips.  Squeamish  people  may  get 
down  their  books  of  etiquette  and  read  homilies  to  me  about  pro 
priety  and  the  like  o'  that,  but  I  say  there  is  a  time  and  place  for 
the  observation  of  rules  of  propriety,  as  there  is  for  everything  else 
in  this  world.  When  a  young  lady  is  in  the  parlor  entertaining 
company  I  grant  you  she  should  sit  bolt  upright  in  her  chair,  as 
near  the  edge  as  possible,  and  never  unbend  in  the  least  during  the 
entire  evening;  but  when  she  goeth  forth  to  the  woodpile  for 
chips,  I  say  let  her  cast  etiquette  to  the  dogs  and  do  her  endeavor 
to  excel  as  a  chip-picker.  So  thought  Miss  Habersham  and  Mr. 
Templeton  when  on  the  present  occasion  they  jointly  and  sever 
ally  got  down  close  to  the  ground  with  the  ragged  old  moon  look 
ing  at  them  through  a  thin  gray  fog. 

Stooping  down  at  the  woodpile,  with  the  basket  between  them 
for  the  more  convenient  dispatch  of  business,  the  young  lady  and 
the  young  gentleman  began  a  diligent  search  for  chips,  and  a  gen 
erous  rivalry — as  was  natural  under  the  circumstances — soon 
sprung  up  between  them.  The  young  lady  was  the  nimblest  and 
quickest,  but  the  young  gentleman  had  the  longest  arm,  and  thus 
it  happened  quite  frequently  that  when  she  was  about  to  lay  hand 
on  a  tempting  chip  in  her  territory,  he  reached  forth  without  leave 
and  appropriated  it  to  his  own  use.  Human  nature  is  human 
nature,  and  will  be  for  a  considerable  while  to  come,  and  so  after 
the  young  gentleman  had  performed  this  disreputable  trick  a  few 
times  the  young  lady  began  to  lose  her  temper,  or  to  find  it,  which 
ever  is  the  correct  expression.  Pretty  soon  she  reached  out  in  a 
dignified  way  for  a  nice  little  white  chip,  and  perceiving  her  intent 
he  extended  his  long  arm  and  grasped  the  prize  between  his 
fingers.  Determined  not  to  be  outdone,  she  likewise  clutched  it 
a  second  later,  although  it  was  already  in  his  possession.  A  chip, 
as  all  well-informed  persons  know,  is  the  small  fragment  that  falls 
from  the  log  when  the  woodman  plies  his  ax.  It  is  usually  an 
inch  or  two  long,  an  inch  or  two  broad,  and  has  no  thickness  to 
speak  of.  So  when  the  young  gentleman  and  the  young  lady  fell 
to  struggling  over  the  same  chip  it  came  to  pass  that  their  fingers 


Mr.  Templeton  Distinguishes  Himself.        271 

were  very  close  together  indeed.  Miss  Marie  Habersham  was  a 
very  determined  young  lady,  and  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  was  a 
very  determined  young  gentleman,  and  the  chip  was  a  very  small 
chip,  and  it  really  was  doubtful  for  some  moments  how  the  eager 
contest  would  result. 

"  Turn  loose,"  said  Miss  Marie  in  a  tone  that  was  really  spiteful. 
"  It's  mine." 

"  It's  mine,"  quoth  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  "  and  I'll  have  it 
or  die."  That's  what  he  said. 

The  controversy  was  conducted  in  an  undertone,  possibly  for 
fear  of  calling  the  dog  from  round  the  house. 

"  You  will,  will  you  ?  "  replied  the  young  lady,  and  with  that 
she  gave  a  sudden  jerk  and  snatched  the  chip  from  his  hands. 

Then  while  she  was  disposed  to  rejoice  over  her  triumph  he  gave 
a  sudden  grab  and  snatched  it  back. 

He  was  so  pleased  at  his  success  that  he  threw  back  his  head, 
shut  his  eyes  and  began  to  laugh.  It  is  a  mistake  one  often  makes 
when  you  suppose  an  enemy  to  be  defeated  who  is  not  defeated. 
She  made  grab  number  three  at  the  chip,  and  laid  hold  upon  it,  but 
he  was  clutching  it  so  tightly  this  time  that  she  couldn't  get  it  away. 
So  it  came  about  again  that  there  were  two  human  hands  on  that 
one  little  chip.  This  was  exasperating.  Betwixt  the  young  lady 
and  the  young  gentleman,  as  between  Saul  and  Barnabas  of  old, 
there  ensued  a  "  sharp  contention."  The  young  lady  didn't  care 
at  all  for  the  chip,  but  was  resolved  not  to  be  imposed  upon.  It 
was  the  principle  of  the  thing  that  nerved  her  in  the  combat.  She 
was  contending  for  her  rights.  The  young  gentleman  cared  not 
for  the  right  or  the  wrong  of  the  thing,  but  desired  the  pre 
eminence.  So  they  contended  most  earnestly,  but  very  quietly, 
mind  you,  because  it  was  desirable  that  the  dog  should  not  be 
called  from  round  the  house.  Finally  a  thing  came  to  pass  that 
might  have  been  anticipated  from  the  start,  but  which  neither  one 
of  them  in  their  excitement  did  anticipate.  It  came  to  pass  that 
the  little  chip  got  lost  in  the  scuffle,  and  the  young  gentleman  and 
the  young  lady  were  clutching  each  other's  hands  tightly.  Pre 
cisely  at  what  moment  the  young  gentleman  discovered  this  change 
in  the  situation  I  am  not  prepared  to  state.  I  will  state,  however, 
emphatically  that  it  was  a  matter  of  two  or  three  seconds  before 
the  young  lady  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  chip  had  disap 
peared  from  the  struggle  and  her  antagonist  was  squeezing  her 
hand  in  a  very  ungentlemanly  way.  Then  she  rose  up  promptly  j 


272  The  K.  K.  K. 

she  rose  very  promptly.  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  also  rose  to  his 
feet,  but  he  didn't  let  go  her  hand.  She  stood  and  pulled  one  way, 
and  he  stood  and  pulled  another  way,  but  the  hold  didn't 
break. 

The  stars  were  twinkling  by  thousands  in  the  blue  vault  above, 
but  stars— be  it  said  to  their  credit — while  they  must  see  a  good 
deal  as  they  journey,  never  tell  tales  out  of  school. 

"  Let  go,"  exclaimed  Miss  Marie  Habersham  indignantly. 
"  Let  go  this  instant,  I  tell  you." 

He  must  have  been  a  little  hard  of  hearing,  for  he  did  not  regard 
her  command  in  the  least. 

"  Let  go,"  she  repeated  in  a  tone  not  quite  so  imperative.  "  Let 
go,  and  you  may  have  the  chip." 

The  immortal  George  Washington  when  the  enemy  surrendered 
at  Yorktown  urged  his  victorious  army  to  be  generous  to  a 
yielding  foe.  Mr.  Templeton,  I  am  pained  to  relate,  showed 
himself  on  the  present  occasion  to  be  incapable  of  appreciating 
such  a  lofty  sentiment.  The  bone,  or  rather  the  chip,  of  contention, 
had,  as  we  see,  been  surrendered,  and  if  he  had  been  in  the  least 
magnanimous  the  subject  would  have  been  dropped,  the  young 
lady's  hand  would  have  been  dropped  with  it,  and  the  incident  at 
the  woodpile — to  use  a  diplomatic  phrase — would  have  been 
closed.  Instead,  however,  of  bringing  the  matter  to  a  conclusion 
in  this  gentlemanly  way  Mr.  Templeton  held  tightly  to  the  little 
hand  in  his  clutch  and  squared  himself,  as  the  saying  is,  for  a  talk 
of  some  length.  He  was  evidently  under  the  impression  that 
argufying  was  his  forte,  and  having,  like  the  spell-binding  ancient 
mariner,  an  auditor  who  was  compelled  to  listen,  he  availed  him 
self  without  scruple  of  his  opportunity. 

"  Let  go,  p-1-e-a-s-e,"  said  Miss  Marie  Habersham  in  the  most 
pleading  tone  in  the  world,  and  pulling  away  from  him  with  a 
face  that  even  in  the  dim  starlight  looked  flushed. 

"  My  much-esteemed  friend,"  began  the  young  gentleman  in  his 
polished  debating-society  manner,  "  there  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of 
men  that  taken  at  the  flood  leads  on  to  fortune.  A  few  minutes 
since  I  would  have  been  satisfied  with  the  possession  of  this  little 
insignificant  chip,  but  now  the  tide  of  my  destiny  is  rising,  and  I 
and  the  little  chip  together  are  borne  onward  to  a  consummation 
not  originally  contemplated  by  me,  and,  I  am  convinced,  not  origi 
nally  contemplated  by  the  chip." 

She  stopped  and  smiled  and  listened.     His  remarks  were  rather 


Mr.  Templeton  Distinguishes  Himself.         273 

too  deep  for  her  comprehension,  but  she  could  easily  discern  with 
her  mind's  eye  that  he  was  bordering  upon  the  eloquent. 

"  It  often  happens  in  the  history  of  nations,"  pursued  the  orator, 
"  that  the  original  matter  of  controversy  between  two  contestants 
is  lost  sight  of,  and  the  end  brings  the  victorious  party  to  a  posi 
tion  far  in  advance  of  any  he  dreamed  of  occupying  in  the  begin 
ning." 

She  smiled  broadly  now,  and  wondered  what  all  this  mystifying 
talk  was  leading  up  to. 

"  Tt  is  the  common  experience  of  mankind,"  pursued  the 
incipient  statesman,  "  that  under  the  circumstances  just  mentioned 
the  victorious  party,  will  show  no  mercy  at  all  toward  the  unsuc 
cessful  contestant,  but  will  at  once  display  a  disposition  to  become 
hoggish  and  take  everything  in  sight." 

"  Now  I  understand  you,"  remarked  Miss  Habersham. 

"  I  hope  so,"  replied  Mr.  Templeton.  "  The  line  of  conduct 
which  I  have  designated  as  being-  quite  common  in  the  experience 
of  mankind  is  not  one,  however,  that  commends  itself  to  my  con 
science,  and  not  one  that  I  intend  to  pursue  on  this  occasion." 

He  here  paused  and  stroked  his  chin  with  his  disengaged  hand 
and  looked  up  at  the  stars. 

"  What  next  ?  "  inquired  Miss  Marie,  alias  Polly,  Habersham. 

"  I  have  bethought  me  of  a  plan,"  continued  the  logician,  "  that 
will  give  to  me  all  the  legitimate  fruits  of  victory  in  this  case,  and 
will  not  impose  on  you  the  humiliation  of  defeat." 

"  Let's  have  it,"  replied  the  young  lady,  who  had  become  so 
much  interested  in  the  line  of  his  argument  that  she  forgot  he  was 
still  holding  her  hand. 

"  So  I  will,"  replied  the  young  gentleman,  looking  very  hard 
at  her  to  impress  her  with  the  force  of  his  observations.  "  My 
plan  is  simply  this.  You  take  the  chip  into  your  own  possession. 
Then  it's  your  chip,  and  victory  perches  upon  your  banner,  does 
it  not?" 

"  Y-e-ss." 

"  Then  I  take  both  you  and  the  chip.  So  it  will  be  my  girl 
and  my  chip ;  and  victory  perches  on  my  banner,  does  it  not  ?  " 

"That's  nonsense." 

"  It's  not  nonsense.  It's  good  law  and  good  logic.  Under  the 
statutes  of  Tennessee  the  personal  property  of  the  wife  belongs 
to  the  husband.  That  chip  is  personal  property,  and  when  you've 
got  the  chip,  and  I've  got  you,  the  chip  is  mine." 


274  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  That  law  may  suit  the  men  that  made  it,"  said  she,  "  but  it's 
a  sin  and  a  shame  to  treat  poor  women  folks  in  such  fashion,  and 
I  don't  care  who  hears  me  say  it.  You  put  the  chip  in  your  pocket, 
if  you  wish,  and  I'll  carry  the  basket  back  into  the  house.  I  don't 
want  the  little  chip  anyway.  It  wasn't  worth  having  a  scuffle 
over." 

"  It  was  not  worth  having  a  scuffle  over,  my  dear,"  said  he 
("my  dear"  was  the  expression  he  used,  and  she  was  a  little 
startled  at  it) — "  it  was  not  worth  having  a  scuffle  over,  and  we'll 
be  very  careful  in  the  future  not  to  quarrel  over  such  trivial 
matters.  For  my  part,  I  promise  you  upon  the  word  and  honor 
of  a  gentleman  that  I  will  never  hereafter  squabble  with  you  over 
any  small  matter,  or  great  matter,  but  will  always,  as  Brother  Paul 
says,  yield  you  the  pre-eminence.  That  will  be  right  and  proper 
because  while  sweethearts  may  be  whimsical,  and  now  and  then 
fly  off  at  a  tangent,  when  it  comes  to  that  closer  and  dearer  rela 
tion " 

"  What  are  you  talking  about?  "  says  she. 

"  Why,  my  dear,"  answers  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  "  I'm 
talking  about  the  way  I'm  going  to  behave  myself  when  I'm  the 
head  of  a  family  and  you're  Mrs.  Templeton.  What  else  could 
I  be  talking  about  ?  " 

"  Why,"  says  she,  "  you  haven't  asked  anybody  yet." 

"  Then,"  replied  Mr.  Templeton,  "  I'll  ask  you  now.  Will 
you,  my  dear,  take  this  man  to  be  your  lawful  and  wedded  hus 
band  ?  Will  you  promise  out  here  at  the  woodpile  to  love,  honor 
and  obey  him " 

"  I  will  not,"  says  she.     "  I'm  not  that  kind  of  a  girl." 

"  Ah,  sure  enough ;  I  forgot.  Will  you  then,  my  imperious 
damsel,  accept  the  homage  of  your  liege  subject,  and  permit  him 
to  minister  to  your  wants  all  the  rest  of  your  days  ?  Will  you  con 
descend,  Miss  Habersham,  to  become  my  wife?" 

"  I  will  not." 

"  Yes,  you  will,  too.  I've  made  up  my  mind  to  that.  Come 
now,  Polly,  no  foolishness." 

"  Who  said  you  might  call  me  Polly?  " 

"  That's  all  right,  that's  all  right,"  replied  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Temple- 
ton  persuasively  as  he  drew  her  nearer  toward  him.  "  Don't  you 
be  apprehensive,  my  dear — don't  be  in  the  least  apprehensive. 
I'm  your  friend.  By  Jimmy,  I  love  you  the  worst  kind.  I  can't 
help  it,  you  see.  Say,  Polly,  give  me  a  kiss  to  put  a  good  taste  in 


Mr.  Templeton  Distinguishes  Himself.        275 

my  mouth.  Give  me  a  kiss,  and  then  let's  go  back  in  the  house 
and  talk  this  thing  over  like  plain  sensible  folks." 

"  I  won't ;  that's  flat/' 

"  You  will ;  that's  flat." 

"  I  won't,  I  tell  you." 

"  You  will,  I  tell  you.  Come  now,  Polly,  don't  be  apprehensive ; 
d-o-n-'-t  be  apprehensive." 

He  spoke  so  reassuringly  that  she  could  hardly  continue  to  be 
apprehensive,  assuming  that  she  was  so  at  the  outset.  He  coaxed 
her  as  one  would  a  skittish  filly  that  may  break  loose  at  any 
minute  and  play  the  wilds.  He  drew  her  gently  toward  him  as 
he  soothed  her.  "  Come  now,  Polly ;  c-o-m-e  now,  Polly." 
First  she  resisted  and  pulled  back  as  hard  as  she  could.  Then 
she  hung  her  head  and  laughed.  Then  by  sudden  effort  she 
snatched  her  hand  away  and  started  to  run.  Then  he  seized  her ; 
there  was  a  brief  struggle,  both  sides  being  careful  not  to  call  the 
dog  from  round  the  house;  then  he  kissed  her;  then  for  some 
moments  there  was  peace  at  the  woodpile. 

They  took  the  basket,  each  having  a  hand  on  the  handle,  and 
walked  like  well-behaved  young  people  back  into  the  house.  They 
made  a  brisk  fire,  and  pretty  soon  a  ruddy  blaze  was  leaping  up 
the  chimney.  Everything  was  cozy  and  comfortable  as  heart 
could  wish,  and  as  they  sat  side  by  side  on  the  sofa  they  talked 
in  a  delicious  and  sweetly  sober  way  of  this,  that  and  t'other ;  one 
thing  and  another.  The  old,  old  story  was  told  over  and  over 
again  with  some  variations,  but  it  was  the  old,  old  story  after  all. 
There  was  deep  planning  for  the  future,  and  pledging  of  mutual 
vows,  and  exchange  of  confidence.  He  held  her  little  hand 
betwixt  his  clumsy  fingers,  and  there  was  no  drawing  back  as  there 
had  been  at  the  woodpile.  He  patted  it  fondly  and  in  an  absent- 
minded  way,  without  causing  her  to  become  apprehensive.  They 
wheeled  the  sofa  now  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  hearth — for  the 
fire  was  dying  low  again — and  snuggled  up  closer  and  closer  to 
each  other,  and  conducted  themselves  about  as  young  people  under 
like  circumstances  usually  do.  The  room  was  getting  really  chilly 
now,  but  it  didn't  occur  to  either  of  them  to  put  on  more  chips,  for 
a  fire  was  burning  brightly  in  both  their  hearts,  and  Cupid  fanned 
the  flame. 


276  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE  CASE  OF  THE  STATE  VERSUS  ANKERSTROM  IS  HEARD  IN  THE  RE 
VISING  COURT,  AND  THE  WISDOM  OF  THE  ANCIENTS  IS  UPHELD. 

OUR  esteemed  friend,  Johan  Ankerstrom,  whom  we  left  on  his 
way  to  the  Coopertown  jail  after  the  outrageous  verdict  of  the 
hard-hearted  jury  and  the  cruel  sentence  of  the  unjust  judge, 
reached  that  institute,  we  are  pained  to  narrate,  in  a  frame  of  mind 
the  reverse  of  amiable.  The  fangs  of  Jineral  Beauregard  still 
rankled  in  his  flesh,  and  he  did  not  recover  anything  like  equa 
nimity  of  temper  until  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  when 
a  visit  from  his  estimable  parent  tended  somewhat  to  soothe  his 
lacerated  feelings.  Johan,  while  seemingly  destitute  of  natural 
affection,  was  always  more  or  less  amused  at  the  antics  and 
monkey  shines  of  his  demonstrative  father,  and  on  this  occasion 
the  visit  of  the  old  man  served  to  remind  him  of  the  pleasing 
assurances  of  his  attorney  as  to  the  final  outcome  of  his  case. 

The  old  gentleman,  Olof  Ankerstrom,  had  not  seen  fit  to  mix 
much  with  the  witnesses  and  lawyers  in  the  court-house  during  the 
trial  of  his  son,  for  fear  some  curious  person  might  connect  him 
with  a  certain  old  Bible  vendor  and  jewelry  peddler,  and  deaf 
farmer,  who  had  of  late  operated  quite  extensively  in  the  Marrow 
bone  Hills.  As  soon  as  the  trial  was  over,  however,  he  came  forth 
from  his  retirement,  and  was,  as  we  know,  much  encouraged  by 
hearing  his  son's  attorney  proclaim  publicly  that  he  had  a  rever 
sal  without  fail  in  the  court  of  last  resort  at  Nashville.  He  caught 
the  point  relied  on  for  annulling  the  verdict  much  more  readily 
than  his  dull  son  had  done,  and,  as  stated,  later  in  the  day  sought 
out  the  latter  in  prison  to  cheer  him  up.  Being  admitted  into  the 
cell  where  Johan  languished  he  would  have  embraced  him  in  his 
enthusiasm  if  the  latter  had  not  impatiently  repelled  his  advances. 

"  Mine  zon,  mine  zon,"  exclaimed  the  old  man  eagerly,  though 
in  a  low  tone  for  fear  of  eavesdropping,  "  I  haff  talk  mit  de 
lawyer  vot  understand  his  pizness,  und  he  zay  effry  thing  is  shoost 


The  Case  of  the  State  Versus  Ankerstrom.     277 

right,  and  he  vould  not  haff  it  ottervise  for  de  best  horse  in  town. 
Lizden  to  me,  mine  zon,  lizden  to  me.  De  shudge  and  shury  haff 
made  von  hell  of  a  miztake,  and  de  Shupereme  Court  at  Nashville 
dey  neffer  make  miztakes.  You  understand  dot,  min  zon.  Ven 
you  hit  de  old  lady  mit  de  ax  you  made  a  potch  uff  de^  shob,  und 
she  giff  you  avay  to  otters  vot  come  in  pehint  you.  She  giff  de 
whole  thing  away,  und  tole  de  tale  uxackerly  as  it  vos,  mine  zon. 
But  ven  she  told  de  tale  she  vos  in  her  right  mind,  you  onderstand, 
and  making  ready  herself  to  luke  after  pizness  in  dis  vorld,  and 
not  some  otter  vorld.  Lizden  to  me,  mine  zon,  lizden  to  me.  Ef 
so  be  de  old  lady  vos  fixin'  to  die  terreckerly,  and  haff  her  mind  on 
some  otter  vorld,  de  vise  law  vould  hear  de  tale  she  tell,  pecause 
mit  de  devil  close  by  de  coot  Kerristian  vill  not  tell  a  lie.  Ef  de 
coot  Kerristian  haff  his  mind  on  dis  vorld,  mine  zon,  he  vill  lie, 
and  svindle,  and  not  mind  de  devil  vot  vill  get  him  pime-py.  But 
ef  he  haff  his  mind  on  some  otter  vorld  and  know  de  credit  pizness 
is  played  out,  den  de  coot  Kerristian  vill  tell  de  trute  for  vear  uff 
de  devil  vich  vill  get  him  terreckerly.  Dis  vot  de  lawyer  Per- 
laffer  zay,  and  de  lawyer  Perlaffer  is  a  vise  man.  Now,  ven  you 
hit  de  old  lady  mit  de  ax,  and  made  a  potch  uff  de  shob,  she  told 
her  tale  to  dem  vot  come  pehint  you,  but  she  told  it  mit  her  mind 
on  dis  vorld,  vere  lying  and  svindling  is  a  effry-day  pizness.  Zo, 
mine  zon,  de  law  will  not  pelieff  de  old  lady.  De  vise  law  zay  to 
her,  '  If  so  pe  you  haff  your  mind  on  dis  vorld,  coom  into  court, 
my  coot  vooman,  vere  de  lawyers  can  tvist  you  inside  out,  and 
den  ve  vill  pelieff  your  tale,  vot  is  left  of  it.'  Dat  vot  de  law  zay, 
mine  zon,  und  dat  is  coot  sense,  und  dat  is  pizness.  De  fool 
shudge  and  fool  shury  zay  ottervise,  but  Perlaffer  tell  dem  all 
in  de  court-house  dat  de  Shupereme  Court  of  de  State  neffer  make 
a  miztake,  and  Perlaffer  is  a  vise  man." 

If  the  worthy  old  gentleman  thus  looked  forward  to  the  coming 
decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Tennessee  with  cheerfulness  and 
abiding  faith,  and  if  even  the  surly  son  was  encouraged  to  build 
hopes  upon  the  rinding  of  that  tribunal,  the  reader  may  rest  as 
sured  that  the  good  people  of  the  community  where  the  widow  Bas- 
combe  had  been  foully  murdered  at  midnight,  were  fast  losing 
the  little  remnant  of  patience  that  the  tedious  course  of  the  trial 
had  left  them.  They  were  not  a  vindictive  folk  by  any  means, 
but  the  crime  had  been  of  a  nature  well  calculated  to  arouse  the 
citizens  of  any  locality,  and  make  them  determined  to  see  that 
something  like  adequate  punishment  was  awarded  the  offender. 


278  The.  K.  K.  K. 

They  felt  that  not  only  simple  justice  demanded  this,  but  that  their 
own  future  security  demanded  it,  and  now  with  the  murderer  un 
punished  after  so  many  months  of  weary  waiting  they  concluded 
they  had  a  right  to  be  indignant  against  every  person  at  all  con 
nected  with  thwarting  the  summary  vengeance  they  had  been 
minded  to  wreak  upon  him  as  soon  as  they  learned  of  the  crime. 
As  upon  one  pretext  or  another  there  had  been  delay  upon  delay, 
they  were  quite  ready  to  believe  that  by  hook  or  crook  the  wily 
Palaver,  whose  shrewdness  in  defending  criminals  was  proverbial 
the  country  over,  would  manage  to  secure  for  his  client  another 
long  delay,  and  finally  immunity  from  punishment.  Randolph 
Pearson,  who  had  been  doubtless  the  most  respected  man  in  his 
community,  came  in  now  for  his  full  share  of  the  censure  that  was 
heaped  on  every  one  who  had  objected  to  the  hanging  of  the  mur 
derer  by  a  mob  as  soon  as  he  was  caught.  Indeed,  Pearson  was 
blamed  far  more  than  any  one  else,  and  found  himself  now  for  the 
first  time  in  his  life  the  object  of  ill  will  among  his  neighbors.  So 
far  did  this  faultfinding  disposition  go  that  it  seriously  affected 
the  members  of  the  klan  which  Pearson  had  organized  for  the  pur 
pose  of  aiding  and  upholding  the  law  in  his  community.  At  their 
night  meetings  in  the  woods  the  most  excited  discussions  took 
place,  and  resolutions  were  introduced  and  urged  doing  away 
with  the  court  of  their  own  creation  and  substituting  the  will  of 
the  majority  for  the  decrees  of  this  tribunal.  These  resolutions 
did  not  carry,  but  Pearson  was  stung  by  the  evidence  of  lack  of 
confidence  among  those  who  had  trusted  him  most  implicitly,  and 
was  also  seriously  affected  by  it.  Like  most  determined  men,  he 
sometimes  permitted  his  firmness  to  degenerate  into  obstinacy,  and 
this  was  especially  the  case  where  he  met  with  opposition  in  the 
execution  of  a  cherished  plan.  His  predominate  idea  at  the  outset 
had  been  to  suppress  mob  law  in  his  community,  and  to  demon 
strate  to  the  world  that  the  courts  of  the  country  were  able  and 
willing  to  punish  crime  if  the  hasty  advocates  of  mob  violence 
would  but  trust  in  the  law.  He  had  gathered  a  band  of  good  citi 
zens  about  him,  and  had  succeeded  in  arresting  the  murderer 
against  whom  indignation  had  been  justly  aroused,  and  turning 
him  over  to  the  proper  legal  authorities.  He  had  done  this  with 
the  utmost  confidence  that  a  few  weeks,  or  a  few  months  at 
farthest,  would  bring  the  scoundrel  to  punishment,  but  he  now 
saw,  or  had  come  to  believe,  that  the  criminal  statutes  were  framed 
far  more  with  the  view  of  protecting  accused  persons  from  pos- 


The  Case  of  the  State  Versus  Ankerstrom.     27 


: 


sible  wrong  than  of  protecting  society  by  the  speedy  punis 
ment  of  offenders.  Pearson  was  sufficiently  well  informed  to 
know  that  this  was  a  wise  policy  at  that  remote  period  of  English 
history  when  the  danger  to  be  guarded  against  in  legislation  was 
the  disposition  of  the  powerful  few  to  oppress  the  helpless 
common  people.  But  this  danger  had  long  since  passed  away. 
Society,  especially  in  the  Southern  States  of  America,  had  been 
formed  on  entirely  new  lines,  and  the  one  thing  needed  now  in 
criminal  legislation  was  to  impose  such  speedy  and  effectual 
punishment  on  the  enemies  of  peace  and  sound  morals  as  would 
teach  them  to  fear  and  the  community  to  respect  the  law  of  the 
land.  He  saw  that  for  some  reason  the  law  was  wholly  inefficient 
in  grave  cases  like  the  one  in  which  he  had  been  so  much  inter 
ested,  and  was  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  impelled  to  the  con 
clusion  that  of  the  two  evils — a  statute  law  which  was  too  solicit 
ous  for  the  welfare  of  the  accused,  and  mob  law  that  was  too 
ready  to  avenge  a  wrong — the  latter  was  sometimes  preferable. 

While  Pearson's  experience  in  the  Ankerstrom  case,  however, 
had  impelled  him  reluctantly  to  this  conclusion,  he  was  quite  san 
guine  that  the  decision  of  the  State  Supreme  Court  would  be  on 
the  side  of  manifest  justice,  and  not  in  favor  of  still  further  shield 
ing  the  criminal  from  responsibility  for  his  wrongdoing.  The  vex 
atious  part  of  the  proceedings  heretofore  had  been  the  apparently 
unavoidable  delays  that  had  marked  each  step  in  the  progress  of 
the  cause.  When  the  criminal  had  been  finally  compelled  to  face 
a  jury,  conviction  had  followed,  though  here  again  a  long  wait  was 
interposed  before  it  could  be  finally  ascertained  whether  the  verdict 
of  the  jury  would  stand.  There  could  be  no  doubt  about  the 
affirmation  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  sentence  below,  unless  the 
statement  made  by  the  old  widow  to  those  about  her  death  bed  was 
held  to  be  inadmissible  as  evidence.  The  circuit  judge  after  a 
long  argument  had  admitted  this  so-called  dying  declaration  as 
part  of  the  testimony  in  the  case,  and  Pearson — while  he  had  some 
misgivings  on  the  subject — could  not  help  feeling  reasonably 
assured  that  the  revising  court  would  take  the  same  view  of  the 
case.  To  say  that  the  plain  death-bed  statement  of  an  eyewitness 
to  a  crime,  who  had  been  murdered  to  prevent  her  appearing  in 
court,  should  not  be  weighed  as  evidence,  was  a  proposition  too 
monstrous  to  be  entertained  for  a  moment.  To  say  that  the  law 
would  not  listen  to  a  tale  that  had  carried  conviction  to  an  entire 
community,  told  by  a  good  old  woman  whose  respect  for  plain 


280  The  K.  K.  K. 

truth  was  proverbial,  would  be  to  say  that  the  administration  of 
justice  was  a  farce,  and  that  no  man  henceforward  need  profess 
respect  for  it. 

Thus  strongly  did  Randolph  Pearson  state  the  proposition  in 
his  own  mind,  and  as  he  did  so  his  assurance  became  doubly  sure 
that  the  days  of  the  murderer,  Ankerstrom,  were  numbered,  and 
before  the  expiration  of  many  additional  months  the  community  he 
had  outraged  would  see  him  expiate  his  monstrous  crime  upon  the 
gallows.  The  Supreme  Court  met  at  Nashville  on  the  first  Mon 
day  in  December,  and  Pearson  waited  patiently  till  the  case  of  the 
State  versus  Ankerstrom  should  be  reached.  This  he  soon  learned 
would  not  be  until  sometime  in  the  month  of  January,  or  possibly 
February,  as  the  county  from  which  the  bill  of  exceptions  came 
up  stood  about  the  middle  of  the  docket,  and  must  wait  its  turn  in 
the  regular  order  of  procedure.  It  was  in  fact  early  in  February 
when  Palaver,  with  his  little  black  grip  in  hand,  boarded  the  cars 
and  went  whirling  away  toward  Nashville  to  have  his  say  before 
the  august  tribunal  that  had  been  sitting  there  listening  to  able 
speeches  till  it  had  grown  weary  of  much  prating. 

The  attorney  on  reaching  his  destination  first  went  to  call  on  his 
client,  who  was  now  safely  domiciled  in  the  Nashville  jail,  and  give 
him  fresh  assurance  of  triumpnant  victory  upon  the  morrow.  He 
then  betook  him  to  the  best  hostelry  in  the  town,  and  after  cracking 
many  jokes  with  old  cronies,  and  tipping  glasses  over  the  saloon 
counter  a  few  times  with  the  same,  he  tumbled  into  bed,  and  was 
soon  by  refreshing  slumber  befitting  himself  for  the  trying  exer 
cises  of  the  following  day.  Next  morning  he  puffed  up  the  steep 
hill  upon  which  sits  the  imposing  building  occupied  as  a  State 
capitol,  and  was  soon  in  the  presence  of  the  five  pleasant-faced 
and  pleasant-spoken  gentlemen  with  whom  in  this  particular 
matter  were  the  issues  of  life  and  death.  Nothing  abashed,  the 
lawyer  took  his  seat  on  one  of  the  long  faded  sofas  that  skirt  the 
apartment  and  made  ready  by  concentrated  mental  effort  to  as 
tonish  the  court  when  his  time  should  come.  A  little  way  off  on 
another  dingy  sofa  sat  Randolph  Pearson,  calm  and  dignified  out 
wardly  as  usual*  but  slightly  perturbed,  as  the  occasional  crossing 
and  uncrossing  of  his  feet  and  other  nervous  movements  of  the 
body  indicated. 

That  the  deeply  interested  farmer  had  some  reason  to  be  anxious 
as  to  the  result  was  demonstrated  to  his  own  satisfaction  before  the 
argument  of  .the  case  proceeded  very  far.  The  so-called  bill  of  e^c- 


The  Case  of  the  State  Versus  Ankerstrom.     281 

ceptions  upon  which  the  court  was  to  rest  its  finding  was  a  great 
mass  of  manuscript  that,  rolled  up,  would  have  made  a  bundle 
as  large  as  an  average  gate-post.  It  was  rolled  up  at  the  outset 
and  tied  with  a  stout  twine  string.  When  unbound  the  pieces  un 
curled  and  scattered  themselves  about  on  the  table,  and  rolled, 
many  of  them,  off  the  table,  and  traveled  about  on  the  floor,  till 
the  industrious  attorney  who  was  supposed  to  have  them  in  charge 
found  great  difficulty  in  keeping  up  with  them.  These  fugitive 
fragments  of  literature  were  supposed  to  contain  the  testimony  of 
the  numerous  witnesses  who  had  given  evidence  on  one  side  and 
the  other  in  the  trial  of  Johan  Ankerstrom  before  the  circuit  judge 
and  jury.  The  language  of  the  witnesses  had  not  been  taken  down 
by  a  stenographer  as  the  trial  progressed,  but  after  its  conclusion 
Palaver  had  written  down  at  great  length  such  statements  and  ad 
missions  as  he  thought  to  be  favorable  to  his  side  of  the  contro 
versy,  and  the  district  attorney — who  had  much  other  matter  on 
his  mind — had  written  down  succinctly  the  testimony  of  the  State's 
witnesses,  and  after  conference  and  some  eliminations  and  altera 
tions  here  and  there,  the  whole  had  been  presented  to  and  signed 
by  the  circuit  judge  as  a  correct  bill  of  exceptions.  Now,  the  Su 
preme  Court  looked  at  the  great  mass  of  papers  in  a  helpless  way, 
for  they  could  not  have  mastered  the  entire  contents  in  a  week's 
solid  reading,  and  they  had  probably  less  than  an  hour's  time  to  de 
vote  to  it.  They  were  able,  learned,  and  conscientious  jurists, 
these  five  gentlemen  who  now  sat  on  the  supreme  bench  of  the 
State,  but  they  were  human  and  of  limited  capacity  for  work,  and 
all  and  severally  might  have  cried  out  any  day  of  the  year,  "  The 
burden  that's  laid  upon  us  is  greater  than  we  can  bear."  In  re 
quiring  them  in  a  very  brief  space  of  time  to  thoroughly  post  them 
selves  as  to  all  the  facts  brought  out  in  the  long  trial,  and  thus 
practically  to  retry  the  case  on  its  merits,  the  law  had  imposed  on 
them  a  task  impossible  of  performance,  and  they  could  really  do 
little  more  than  rely  on  the  opposing  attorneys  to  state  these  facts 
as  disclosed  by  the  record. 

As  Pearson  sat  on  the  dingy  old  sofa  and  heard  fragments  of  the 
voluminous  record  read,  he  could  not  help  reflecting  upon  the  in 
sufficiency  of  this  method  of  informing  the  judges  as  to  the  facts 
in  the  case.  The  manner  of  the  various  witnesses,  their  changes 
of  countenance,  the  hundred  other  evidences  of  truth  or  falsity  that 
profoundly  impress  a  jury,  are  all  lost  when  their  words  are  taken 
down  on  paper,  to  be  read  afterwards  by  strangers.  This  would  be 


282  The  K.  K.  K. 

true  if  the  words  were  taken  down  literally  as  they  fell  from  the 
lips  of  the  witnesses,  but  when  they  are  committed  to  paper  some 
days  after  the  conclusion  of  the  trial  by  interested  attorneys,  the 
difficulty  of  having  the  record  speak  the  real  truth  becomes  greatly 
magnified.  As  he  sat  now  and  listened  while  Palaver  in  persua 
sive  tones  narrated  to  the  court  the  facts,  dipping  here  and  there 
into  the  record  to  substantiate  his-  statements,  he,  Pearson,  was 
greatly  surprised  to  find  that  the  case  as  it  was  impressed  on  the 
minds  of  the  five  judges  before  him  bore  no  very  close  resemblance 
to  the  case  which  had  been  presented  by  sworn  witnesses  on  the 
stand  in  the  court  below.  Palaver  had  a  tremendous  advantage 
over  the  attorney-general  for  the  State  in  the  fact  that  he  knew 
exactly  what  the  bulky  record  contained,  while  the  latter  official 
had  never  heard  of  the  case  till  the  papers  reached  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  had  only  given  it  since  such  investigation  as  a 
tired  mind  could  give  one  of  many  similar  cases  before 
him.  Palaver,  therefore,  with  impunity  dipped  here  and 
there  in  the  record,  as  a  shrewd  manipulator  would  sample 
a  hogshead  of  tobacco,  and  extracted  such  fragments  of 
evidence  as  it  suited  his  purpose  to  read,  connecting  this 
and  that  as  he  proceeded,  and  making  on  the  whole  a  smooth 
and  highly  probable  tale.  The  old  widow  had  made  one 
statement  which,  if  true,  clearly  proved  the  guilt  of  the  negro 
Kinchen,  for  her  neighbors  then  present  caught  him  and  hung 
him  for  the  crime.  Afterward  she  made  another  statement  which 
implicated  the  prisoner  at  the  bar,  and  if  the  issue  here  was  one  of 
fact  alone  it  could  not  be  said  with  assurance  that  the  defendant 
was  guilty,  for  it  could  never  be  known  which  of  her  opposing 
statements  was  true,  if  indeed  either  was  true.  The  prisoner's 
conduct  immediately  after  the  homicide  was  certainly  not  such  as 
to  indicate  a  consciousness  of  guilt  on  his  part.  He  was  found 
with  others  there  on  the  ground,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  violent 
proceedings  that  led  to  the  death  of  the  negro,  Kinchen,  against 
whom  he  could  have  had  no  sort  of  grudge,  except  that  he  believed 
him  to  be  the  perpetrator  of  the  foul  crime  just  committed. 
Twenty-four  hours  later  we  find  the  prisoner  in  the  pub 
lic  highway,  calmly  talking  to  the  sheriff.  He  had  eaten 
dinner  on  the  same  day  at  a  farmhouse  in  the  neighbor 
hood,  and  afterwards  had  laid  down  and  taken  a  long  nap 
under  a  tree  in  the  yard.  All  this  certainly  indicated  a 
quiet  conscience  on  his  part.  That  he  subsequently  became 


The  Case  of  the  State  Versus  Ankerstrom.     283 

alarmed  and  hid  himself  was  quite  true,  but  what  ignorant 
foreigner  was  it  that  wouldn't  seek  a  place  of  concealment  when 
he  learned  that  an  angry  mob  was  scouring  the  country  for  him, 
determined  to  kill  him  as  soon  as  he  was  captured  ?  The  prisoner 
was  a  foreigner.  He  was  poor  and  very  ignorant.  He  had  not 
a  friend  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  tragedy  to  whom  he  could 
appeal  for  protection.  What  else  could  he  do  under  these  circum 
stances  but  secrete  himself  from  observation  till  the  wild  storm  had 
blown  over  and  reason  had  resumed  its  sway  in  the*  community  ? 

As  the  lawyer  went  glibly  on  with  his  statement  of  facts  Pearson 
could  see  he  was  making  an  impression  on  the  five  trained  judges 
before  him.  Not  that  they  were  ready  by  any  means  to  conclude 
that  the  prisoner  was  innocent  of  the  crime  laid  at  his  door,  but 
that  they  felt  there  was  doubt  enough  on  the  subject  to  make  a 
thorough  investigation  of  the  record  necessary  if  the  case  was  to 
be  determined  upon  the  facts.  This  was  precisely  the  frame  of 
mind  in  which  Palaver  wished  to  have  them  as  he  took  up  now  the 
question  of  law  upon  which  was  his  real  reliance  in  his  earnest 
application  for  a  new  trial. 

Randolph  Pearson,  sitting  back  on  his  dingy  sofa,  saw  at  once 
that  here  was  the  battle  ground  in  the  present  contention  as  it  had 
been  in  the  court  below.  The  attorney-general  for  the  State,  who 
up  to  this  moment  had  been  examining  the  papers  in  another  cause, 
now  pricked  up  his  ears  and  became  an  interested  listener  as  Pala 
ver  launched  with  confidence  into  his  argument.  Pearson,  a  plain 
and  conscientious  man,  had  persuaded  himself  that  the  fierce  effort 
of  the  prisoner's  counsel  before  the  circuit  judge  on  this  point  was 
but  idle  chaff,  and  would  not  be  repeated  in  the  presence  of  the  five 
able  jurists  who  sat  on  the  supreme  bench.  He  not  only  saw  now 
that  he  had  been  too  hasty  in  jumping  to  this  conclusion,  but  found 
to  his  surprise  that  the  considerations  which  had  induced  him  to 
think  that  the  dying  statement  of  the  old  widow  must  necessarily 
be  admitted  as  evidence  were  not  even  alluded  to  by  counsel  on 
either  side.  That  she  was  recognized  in  her  own  community  as  a 
very  clear-headed  and  truthful  old  woman  before  the  murderous 
attack  was  made  upon  her,  that  her  character  generally  was  such 
as  had  won  for  her  the  respect  of  all  her  neighbors,  that  she  was 
entirely  at  herself  when  she  narrated  the  dreadful  incidents  of  the 
night  which  was  her  last  on  earth,  that  she  told  a  story  so  clear 
and  connected  that  it  carried  conviction  with  it  to  those  who  stood 
about  her  bedside,  all  this,  which  Pearson  thought  would  be  con« 


284  The  K.  K.  K. 

elusive  of  the  question  he  now  found  had  little  or  nothing  to  do 
with  it,  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  these  facts  were  hardly  mani 
fested  at  all  by  the  record,  and  evidently  had  not  been  brought 
home  to  the  knowledge  either  of  the  court  or  the  attorney-general 
for  the  State.  The  latter  official  was  a  good,  sound  lawyer  with, 
as  said,  many  other  matters  upon  his  mind,  and  many  other  cases 
besides  the  present  one  that  would  soon  demand  his  attention. 
The  primary  question  before  the  court  was  as  to  whether  the 
ante  mortem  statement  of  Mrs.  Bascombe  was  admissible  at  all 
as  evidence  when  it  appeared  plainly  from  the  record  that  it  was 
not  considered  by  her  at  the  moment  of  its  utterance  to  be  a  death 
bed  statement.  If  her  relation  was  admissible  as  evidence  then 
might  arise  the  further  enquiry  as  to  her  mental  condition  at  the 
time,  the  inducement  that  prompted  her  tale,  her  character  for 
truth,  etc.  All  this  would  be  proper  matter  for  investigation  if 
the  court  should  hold  that  a  dying  declaration  might  be  introduced 
as  evidence  in  a  criminal  case  when  the  person  from  whom  the 
utterance  came  was  not  contemplating  speedy  death. 

Supreme  judges,  like  other  folks,  are  human  beings,  with 
human  impulses  and  human  sympathies.  Their  decisions,  like 
ours,  are  often  swayed,  and  properly  swayed,  by  facts  appeal 
ing  in  a  particular  case  strongly  to  their  sense  of  right  and  jus 
tice.  There  are  certain  well-settled  rules  that  can  not  be  over 
ridden  at  will,  but  even  these  may  often  be  modified,  or  not 
applied  in  full  force,  where  substantial  justice  demands  that 
such  course  be  taken.  Where  there's  a  will  there's  a  way,  and 
if  the  judges  in  the  present  instance  could  have  realized  what  a 
truthffll,  courageous  old  woman  the  widow  Bascombe  had  been 
in  life,  if  they  could  have  been  aroused  as  to  the  deep  damnation 
of  her  taking  off,  if  they  could  have  seen  further  that  by  excluding 
her  narration  a  brutal  scoundrel  would  go  unwhipped  of  justice, 
their  consciences  would  have  rebelled  against  a  holding  that 
led  to  such  conclusion.  As  it  was,  they  did  not  comprehend  all 
this  at  all,  but  had  only  a  dry  question  of  law  to  deal  with.  As 
the  matter  was  presented  to  their  minds  they  could  not  say  with 
assurance  whether  the  prisoner  was  the  object  of  misplaced  mob 
fury,  or  the  perpetrator  of  a  horrible  crime.  Thus  Palaver 
waged  his  fight  from  the  vantage  ground  of  having  at  least  the 
probable  right  of  the  issue  on  his  side  when  he  contended  for 
the  application  of '  an  old  rule  of  evidence  which  had  never 
been  seriously  questioned  in  the  State  before.  The  Attorney- 


The  Case  of  the  State  Versus  Ankerstrom.     285 

General,  on  the  other  hand,  while  he  argued  for  the  modification 
of  this  rule,  did  so  without  much  heart,  and  evidently  with  little 
expectation  of  inducing  the  court  to  sustain  him  in  his  contention. 
He  touched  alone  upon  the  legal  aspect  of  the  question,  cited  au 
thorities  from  other  States  in  support  of  his  position,  and  left  the 
disputed  question  to  the  decision  of  the  court  without  dwelling  on 
its  importance  in  the  particular  case  under  investigation. 

The  following  Saturday  was  opinion  day,  and  Pearson  was  back 
in  his  place,  as  was  also  the  prisoner  and  his  counsel.  The 
court  held,  and  Pearson  was  not  surprised,  that  the  record  dis 
closed  but  little  evidence  upon  which  to  base  a  conviction,  except 
the  statement  of  the  old  woman,  Mrs.  Bascombe,  made  to  those 
about  her  a  few  hours  before  her  death.  That  she  had  been 
cruelly  assailed  by  some  one  was  not  a  matter  of  doubt.  A 
negro  had  been  hung  by  a  mob  for  the  attack  upon  her,  and  after 
ward  she  recovered  consciousness  and  made  a  statement  crimi 
nating  the  defendant.  This  statement  was  made  only  a  few  hours 
before  her  death,  but  it  certainly  was  not  made  by  her  in  view 
of  approaching  death.  It  was  not  a  dying  declaration  within 
the  meaning  and  contemplation  of  the  law.  No  statement  could 
be  considered  such  unless  it  was  not  only  a  death-bed  statement, 
but  made  with  the  knowledge  and  belief  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker  that  death  was  imminent.  The  decisions  on  this  subject 
were  too  clear  and  of  too  long  standing  to  admit  of  question  now. 
His  honor  the  circuit  judge  erred  in  admitting  to  the  jury  as 
evidence  a  statement  directly  criminating  the  prisoner,  which  was 
made  by  the  murdered  woman  not  unde  the  impression  that  she 
was  about  to  die,  but — as  the  record  disclosed — under  the  con 
fident  hope  of  recovery.  For  this  material  error  the  case  was 
reversed  and  remanded  and  a  new  trial  awarded  the  prisoner. 

The  prisoner's  counsel  with  a  radiant  expression  of  counte 
nance  took  his  way  out  of  the  court-room,  and  Pearson  slowly 
followed.  As  the  attorney  passed  through  the  door  that  led  into 
the  hall  a  little  old  gentleman  stood,  cap  in  hand,  just  without. 
The  little  old  gentleman  bowed  very  low  to  Palaver,  and  remarked 
fervently  as  the  latter  passed  on,  "  Cot  pless  you,  mine  frient." 
The  attorney  acknowledged  the  salute  graciously,  and  as  he  pro 
ceeded  along  the  hall  Pearson  heard  him  tell  a  companion  by  his 
side  that  the  little  old  gentleman  was  the  father  of  his  client, 
Ankerstrom,  the  conviction  against  whom  had  just  been  reversed 
by  the  Supreme  Court.  Palaver  further  informed  his  companion 


286  The  K.  K.  K. 

that  the  little  old  gentleman  who  had  invoked  heaven's  blessing 
upon  him  was  one  of  the  very  best  men  in  the  section  from  which 
he  hailed,  and  was  also  a  very  devout  old  man,  as  was  plainly  in 
dicated  by  the  pious  benediction  that  had  just  fallen  from  his  lip». 


Which  Tells  of  a  Carousal  at  the  Jail.         287 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

WHICH  TELLS  OF  A  CAROUSAL  AT  THE  JAIL  AND  A  SOBERER  GATH 
ERING  IN  THE  WOOD. 

THAT  evening  the  pious  old  gentleman  whose  reverential 
manner  had  won  the  flattering  indorsement  of  his  attorney,  took 
occasion  to  celebrate  the  decided  legal  victory  achieved  by  a  visit 
of  congratulation  to  his  affectionate  son  in  prison.  He  went 
armed  with  a  letter  from  his  lawyer,  saying  he  hoped  the  courte 
sies  of  the  place  might  be  extended  to  Mr.  Ankerstrom  of  Chi 
cago,  who  was  a  gentleman  in  every  way  deserving  any  attention 
that  could  be  shown  him.  This  was  fortified  by  a  note  on  the 
back  of  the  paper  from  the  sheriff,  instructing  the  jailer  to  let  the 
visitor  have  a  conference  with  the  prisoner,  Ankerstrom,  and  to 
give  the  two  a  private  room  if  one  could  be  spared  for  the  purpose 
in  the  establishment.  The  devout  old  gentleman  purchased  a 
liberal  supply  of  liquor,  which  he  concealed  in  the  folds  of  his 
overcoat,  and  when  the  shadows  of  night  had  been  chased  away 
by  the  electric  lights  of  the  city  presented  himself  at  the  jail  door 
and  handed  in  his  credentials.  The  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court 
in  Ankerstrom's  behalf  was  considered  by  all  the  officials  as  the 
practical  ending  of  the  case  against  him,  and  therefore  the  keeper 
of  the  prison  had  less  hesitation  in  relaxing  to  some  extent  the 
rigidity  of  the  rule  that  required  his  constant  confinement  in  very 
contracted  quarters.  Moreover,  the  pious  demeanor  of  the  old 
gentleman,  and  the  fact  that  he  stood  particularly  well  in  the 
community  from  which  he  hailed,  induced  the  jailer  to  be  as  in 
dulgent  as  he  possibly  could,  and  he  ushered  Mr.  Olof  Anker 
strom,  after  he  had  read  his  letters  of  credit,  into  an  apartment 
about  ten  feet  square,  with  a  small  cheap  table  and  two  or  three 
rather  rickety  chairs  for  furniture.  The  single  window  of  this 
room  was  heavily  grated,  as  was  the  door  that  led  into  it,  though 
there  was  a  wooden  door  also  that  closed  from  within,  so  that  the 
occupant — if  he  was  of  vivid  fancy  and  refrained  from  looking 


288  The  K.  K.  K. 

out  at  the  window — might  imagine  himself  to  be  in  a  snug  apart 
ment  of  an  economical  hotel.  Mr.  Olof  Ankerstrom  seemed  to 
take  this  cheerful  view  of  his  surroundings,  for  when  he  had 
followed  the  jailer  within  he  rubbed  his  hands  toward  the  little 
grate  where  the  fire  ought  to  have  been  and  exclaimed  heartily: 
"  Ah,  dis  ish  nise,  dis  ish  nise." 

"  It's  the  best  we  can  do,"  replied  the  jailer,  and  he  told  the 
truth.  There  were  other  and  better  furnished  apartmnts  about 
the  house,  but  they  were  for  visitors  who  would  not  be  tempted  to 
abuse  the  hospitality  of  the  host  and  forsake  the  premises  without 
taking  formal  leave. 

Presently  Johan  was  brought  in,  and  on  even  his  scowling  fea 
tures  there  was  something  like  a  grin,  for  he  considered  himself 
almost  a  free  man  once  more.  The  old  gentleman  was  effusive  and 
shook  hands  with  his  son,  and  da-need  around  his  son,  and  gave 
other  tokens  of  extravagant  esteem,  though  he  met  with  no  more 
response  than  if  he  had  been  doing  homage  to  a  wooden  image. 
Johan  seemed  to  be  a  little  amused  at  the  monkey  antics  of  his 
demonstrative  parent,  and  to  entertain  at  the  same  time  an  indis- 
guked  contempt  for  him,  but  he  displayed  not  the  slightest  evi 
dence  of  affection  or  appreciation  of  the  sacrifices  the  latter  had 
made  in  the  effort  to  save  his  worthless  neck. 

When  the  turnkey  had  locked  the  door  behind  him  and  left  the 
two  alone,  the  elder  Ankerstrom  drew  from  the  deep  side  pocket 
of  his  overcoat  a  flask  containing  a  pint  of  liquid,  and  so  fashioned 
that  the  top  part  of  the  cover  being  removed  formed  an  excellent 
drinking  cup.  Depositing  this  carefully  upon  the  table  he  drew 
from  the  opposite  side  pocket  a  smaller  phial  labelled  "  Cocktail 
Bitters."  Placing  this  by  the  side  of  the  flask  he  next  extracted 
a  half  dozen  lemons  and  some  lumps  of  sugar.  Having  thus 
unburdened  himself  he  withdrew  a  step  or  two  from  the  table, 
and  lifting  both  hands  surveyed  the  whole  with  affectionate  admi 
ration.  The  apartment  was  rather  contracted  for  a  festal  hall, 
but  it  was  evident  the  old  gentleman  had  come  to  make  a  night 
of  it.  "  Ve  haff  no  ise,"  he  said  presently  to  his  son  when  he  had 
poured  out  a  drink,  "  but  the  shentleman  haff  locked  us  up  in  his 
ise-house,  vich  vill  do  shust  as  veel." 

With  this  facetious  remark  the  old  gentleman  handed  his  son 
as  liberal  a  drink  as  the  cup  would  hold,  which  the  latter  gulped 
down  without  a  word.  Then  the  devout  old  man  himself  swal 
lowed  a  draught  of  the  liquor,  and  was  about  to  cork  the  bottle 


Which  Tells  of  a  Carousal  at  the  Jail.         289 

when  Johan  reached  forth  his  hand  and  grunted  for  more  fire 
water.  The  request  so  graciously  preferred  was  cheerfully 
granted,  and  the  old  man  then  set  down  the  flask.  For  an  hour 
or  more  they  talked,  or  rather  for  that  length  of  time  the  old  man's 
loosened  tongue  ran,  and  again  and  again  when  they  found  the 
evening  growing  dull  they  resorted  to  the  flask  and  the  cocktail 
bitters  to  cheer  their  flagging  spirits.  When  the  flask  became 
'exceedingly  light  and  a  look  of  apprehension  overspread  Johan's 
countenance,  the  old  man  drew  from  another  pocket  another 
flask,  and  holding  it  triumphantly  aloft  reassured  his  offspring. 
What  subjects  the  two  discussed,  or  rather  upon  what  topics  the 
old  man  held  forth  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  'twere  long  to 
tell,  and  the  reader  would  find  it  dull  entertainment  if  'twere  set 
down.  The  old  man  spoke  in  a  low  tone — for  walls  have  ears — 
and  often  spliced  out  his  meaning  with  gesticulation  and  ex 
pressive  shrugs  of  the  shoulder.  He  informed  his  son,  for  the 
latter's  comfort,  that  he  would  stick  to  him  till  he  was  once  more 
a  free  man,  though  it  might  be  some  time  yet  before  that  consum 
mation  would  be  reached. 

"  Dey  vill  park  at  you,  my  zon,  and  vill  haff  your  neck  in  te 
tarn  noose  anyhow,  if  so  be  dey  kin.  Dey  are  bad  peobles,  bad 
peobles,  dese  tam  hill  volks,  and  vill  not  respect  de  law  like  coot 
zitizuns.  Dere  vill  pe  otter  trials,  otter  trials,  mine  zon,  and  more 
tam  vitnesses,  and  more  talking  uff  lawyers,  and  hell  to  pay  shine- 
rally,  but  te  Ankerstrom  vambly  vill  pull  troo  dis  throoble  as  dey 
haff  pulled  troo  many  anotter  throoble ;  haff  no  vear  uff  dat.  If 
dere  vas  von  man  out  te  vay  I  vood  sleep  veil  dis  night.  I  vould 
sleep  hearty  and  sound  dis  night,  s'help  me,  if  dot  tam  Perryerson 
vas  in  te  otter  vorld,  vere  he  belong.  He  push  dis  pizness  too  fur. 
He  meddle  vid  vat  do  not  concern  him.  Mine  lawyer,  Perlaffer, 
he  zay  dere  voot  pe  no  otter  trial  if  Perryerson  vould  be  quiet. 
Ah,  mine  zon,  but  he  vill  not  pe  quiet,  mark  dat.  He  vill  not  pe 
quiet,  mine  zon,  oonless  soompody  giff  him  someding  to  quiet 
him." 

The  son  here  blurted  out  a  fierce  oath,  and  growled  an  inquiry 
that  brought  the  old  man  in  an  instant  to  his  feet.  He  threw  up 
his  hands  in  alarm,  and  uttered  a  warning  sh-sh-sh.  Then  he  sat 
down  again  by  Johan's  side  and  spoke  in  a  whisper :  "  Zay 
netting,  zay  netting,  mine  zon.  Ve  vill  attend  to  de  case  uff  dis 
man  Perryerson.  I  haff  a  frient,  a  coot  frient,  uff  de  name  uff 
Kervackenparse,  but  dey  calls  him  Alabam'  Zam  for  short,  He 
'9 


290  The  K.  K.  K. 

is  a  coot  doctor  for  dem  vat  meddles  vit  otter  peoble's  pizness. 
He  is  a  coot  man,  dis  Alabam'  Zam,  and  mine  true  frient.  I  will 
lay  de  plan  for  to  quiet  dis  Perryerson,  and  Alabam'  Zam  vill  do 
de  vork ;  so  be  if  throoble  comes  his  neck  vill  go  in  de  halter  and 
not  mine.  Pizness  is  pizness.  Keep  a  still  tongue  in  your  head, 
mine  zon,  keep  a  still  tongue  in  your  head,  like  as  you  haff  done 
up  to  dis  minit.  I  kiff  you  de  praise  for  dat.  Do  not  visper,  do 
not  talk  in  your  sleep,  do  not  say  a  single  vord  against  dis  coot 
man  Perryerson,  and  de  next  time  your  case  goes  to  de  shury  you 
may  hike  all  ofer  de  court-room,  but  you  vill  not  see  him !  " 

The  old  man  here  rose,  and  walking  backward  as  far  as  the 
contracted  space  in  the  room  would  allow,  kept  nodding  to  Johan, 
who  was  sitting  stupidly  in  a  chair  with  his  elbows  resting  on  the 
table.  More  liquor  was  poured  out,  and  they  both  drank  again. 
The  old  gentleman  before  he  drained  his  glass  held  it  high  and 
gave  this  toast :  "  Here's  to  de  man  vat  meddles  mit  otter  peoble's 
pizness.  May  he  live  long  and  pe  'appy — in  some  otter  vorld." 

He  was  a  little  unsteady  upon  his  pegs  as  he  gave  utterance 
to  this  sentiment,  but  did  not  lose  his  caution,  as  was  demonstrated 
a  moment  later  when  the  turnkey  unexpectedly  opened  the  door 
and  entered  the  room.  The  old  gentleman,  who  was  standing  at 
the  time  with  his  feet  rather  wide  apart,  bowed  politely  to  the 
new-comer,  and  with  his  unemptied  cup  still  in  his  hand  addressed 
him  as  if  he  had  been  an  assemblage. 

"  Shentlemen,"  he  proclaimed,  speaking  in  a  louder  tone  than 
he  had  used  before,  "  I  drink  to  de  law.  De  frient  uff  de  guilty 
and  de  terror  uff  de  innocent." 

"  You  are  getting  a  little  mixed,  old  man,"  replied  the  good- 
natured  official. 

"  Ah,  s'help  me,"  answered  the  old  man  after  he  had  swallowed 
his  liquor.  "  I  zee,  I  zee.  Peg  bardon,  peg  bardon.  I  said  de 
frient  uff  de  guilty  and  de  terror  uff  de  innocent,  wen  I  should 
haff  said  de  terror  uff  de  innocent  and  de  frient  uff  de  guilty. 
Anyvay  I  shake  your  hand  now,  mine  frient,  and  tank  you  for 
your  osserbertality.  If  so  be  you  should  effer  come  my  vay  I 
vill  return  de  same,  s'help  me." 

With  these  kindly  assurances  the  old  gentleman  took  leave  of 
the  company  and  went  his  way  to  his  lodging  in  the  town,  and 
thence  next  morning  to  other  parts.  His  son  was  dragged,  more 
asleep  than  awake,  back  to  his  cell,  and  left  to  snore  off  the  effects 
of  his  carouse.  There  he  remained  for  many  days  and  many 


Which  Tells  of  a  Carousal  at  the  Jail.         291 

weeks,  for  it  was  not  known  how  the  unruly  hill  folk  would  take 
the  reversal  of  the  verdict  against  him,  and  if  they  displayed  an 
ugly  temper  he  would  probably  be  safer  locked  up  at  the  capital 
of  the  State  than  if  incarcerated  elsewhere. 

Randolph  Pearson,  as  the  reader  may  easily  imagine,  was^  in 
no  humor  for  jollifying  on  the  evening  of  the  important  decision 
in  the  Ankerstrom  case.  He  saw  at  once  that  it  meant  almost 
inevitably  the  final  discharge  of  the  prisoner  without  punishment 
for  his  fearful  crime.  Most  probably  the  court  itself  had  not 
realized  that  this  was  the  necessary  consequence  of  the  decision 
rendered.  In  the  vast  mass  of  testimony  included  in  the  so- 
called  bill  of  exceptions  theje  might  be  ground  for  conviction 
after  the  statement  of  the  murdered  woman  was  excluded;  at 
least  it  was  impossible  for  the  court  at  the  time  the  decision  was 
rendered  to  say  to  the  contrary.  The  attorney-general  for  the 
State  had  hardly  dipped  into  the  evidence  in  his  brief  argument, 
and  Palaver's  skilful  summing  up  of  the  facts  disclosed  by  the 
voluminous  record  was  of  course  taken  by  the  experienced  judges 
cum  grano  salis.  When  the  case  was  reversed  and  remanded  the 
judges  had  only  disposed  of  the  single  legal  question  presented, 
Pearson,  however,  knew  their  decision  was  equivalent  to  a  verdict 
of  not  guilty,  and  as  he  took  his  way  homeward  late  on  the  same 
evening  he  bitterly  reproached  himself  for  having  interposed  be 
tween  the  life  of  this  brutal  murderer  and  the  vengeance  of  the 
mob.  The  train  reached  the  station  nearest  his  place  of  abode 
about  nine  o'clock  at  night.  He  mounted  the  horse  he  had  left 
in  waiting  there,  and  rode  forward  in  the  darkness  all  alone  to  his 
residence,  several  miles  away.  As  he  went  he  revolved  the  whole 
matter  seriously  in  his  mind,  and  before  he  retired  to  rest  his  plan 
of  action  was  determined  upon.  Pearson  was  a  man  who  had  the 
courage  of  his  convictions,  and,  like  the  Apostle  Paul,  when  once 
convinced  that  he  had  been  in  error  he  lost  no  time  in  changing 
his  course  and  setting  forth  with  zeal  in  a  new  direction. 

Teddy  Mclntosh  was  summoned  next  morning,  and  after  a 
brief  interview  with  Pearson  rode  over  to  consult  the  dignified 
and  deep-voiced  young  man  who  held  the  distinguished  position 
of  Grand  Cyclops  of  the  Klan,  Without  his  approval,  indeed  in 
the  absence  of  his  direct  order,  there  could  be  no  summoning  of 
the  members  of  the  secret  order  to  meet  in  council,  and  young 
Mclntosh  now  was  the  bearer  of  a  message  from  Pearson  re 
questing  that  a  meeting  be  held  at  some  date  in  the  near  future. 


292  The  K.  K.  K. 

Later  on  several  riders  were  quietly  going  from  house  to  house 
in  different  localities  among  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  and  before 
the  following  night  had  far  advanced  the  entire  brotherhood  was 
notified. 

The  season  was  too  inclement  to  admit  of  a  gathering  in  the 
open  woods,  and  the  klan  therefore  was  summoned  to  assemble 
at  an  old  deserted  log  house,  in  the  chimney  place  of  which  a  fire 
could  be  built,  and  whose  dilapidated  roof  and  walls  would  af 
ford  some  protection  from  the  weather.  Snow  began  falling 
early  in  the  evening  set  for  the  gathering,  and  fortunately  con 
tinued  far  into  the  night  so  that  the  track  of  those  summoned  to 
the  rendezvous  would  be  lost  before  next  morning.  Nearly  all 
were  present ;  many  had  come  on  horseback,  some  on  foot,  and  at 
the  appointed  hour  they  stood  huddled  close  together  in  the 
single  room  of  the  old  log  building,  bespeaking  each  other  in  low 
tones  and  stamping  their  feet  to  keep  the  blood  in  circulation. 

When  the  opening  ceremonies  had  been  concluded,  each  mem 
ber  present  being  robed  now  in  somber  black  gown  and  cap,  the 
Grand  Cyclops  informed  the  attendant  hobgoblins  that  the  Su 
preme  Court  of  Tennessee  had  reversed  the  Ankerstrom  case,  and 
remanded  the  same  for  a  new  hearing  to  the  court  below.  He 
had  summoned  the  klan  for  the  purpose  of  imparting  this  impor 
tant  intelligence,  and  to  ascertain  their  further  will  in  the  mat 
ter.  A  member  then  moved  that  the  case  of  the  murderer,  Johan 
Ankerstrom,  be  taken  up  by  the  klan  for  immediate  consideration. 
This  being  unanimously  adopted,  there  was  a  moment's  silence, 
and  then  a  motion  was  put,  and  unanimously  carried,  that  the 
case  be  at  once  referred  to  the  Dreadful  Ulema  for  its  decision. 
It  was  evident  all  were  aware  of  the  fact  that  some  decisive  ac 
tion  was  to  be  taken  to-night,  for  there  was  no  hot  discussion,  no 
debate  of  any  kind.  The  proposition  to  refer  to  the  court  of 
the  order  was  promptly  adopted,  and  all  awaited  in  silence  the 
final  rendering  of  that  tribunal. 

The  delay  was  not  long.  There  was  a  brief  conference  of  the 
three  members  of  the  court  in  an  old  stable  a  little  way  off  from 
the  house,  and  this  over  they  solemnly  filed  back  into  the  room 
where  about  three  dozen  serious  men  awaited  their  coming. 
Pearson  was  the  spokesman,  and  announced  the  conclusion  of 
the  court  in  clear,  steady  tones :  "  We  find  that  Mrs.  Susan 
Bascombe  was  murdered  in  this  county  nearly  two  years  ago  by 
a  man  known  among  us  as  Cross-eyed  Jack,  but  whose  real  name 


Which  Tells  of  a  Carousal  at  the  Jail.         293 

is  Johan  Ankerstrom.  We  find  that  this  murder  was  done  at 
midnight,  and  that  it  was  brutal,  cowardly,  and  unprovoked. 
We  find  that  the  regular  legal  tribunals  of  the  country,  in  con 
sequence  of  certain  rules  by  which  they  are  bound,  are  incapable 
of  dealing  with  the  criminal  as  reason,  justice,  and  the  preserva 
tion  of  order  in  this  community  demands.  We  therefore  con 
clude  that  the  time  has  come  for  this  brotherhood  to  act,  and  in 
announcing  our  decision  we  call  God  to  witness  that  our  conduct 
is  not  the  result  of  passion,  but  springs  from  the  deliberate  con 
viction  that  our  homes  and  our  good  women  must  be  protected 
at  all  hazards.  For  the  murder  of  a  good  old  woman  at  mid 
night  in  a  peaceful  community  we  adjudge  Johan  Ankerstrom  to 
be  worthy  of  death,  and  our  sentence  is  that  by  such  means  as 
may  be  hereafter  determined  upon  he  be  taken  from  the  custody 
of  the  regular  legal  authorities  who  have  held  him  so  long  and 
at  the  spot  where  his  brutal  crime  was  committed  be  hung  by 
the  neck  until  he  is  dead." 

In  solemn  silence  this  decision  of  the  high  court  of  the  order 
was  read,  and  not  the  slightest  demonstration  followed  its  con 
clusion.  In  accordance  with  the  regulations  of  the  society  the 
finding  of  the  court  was  then  submitted  to  the  members  for  their 
ratification.  A  small  box  containing  white  and  black  balls  was 
carried  through  the  crowded  assemblage,  and  each  of  those 
present  took  therefrom  two  balls  of  different  colors.  The  at 
tendant  then  stood  with  his  empty  box  near  the  judges,  and  the 
hobgoblines  in  silence,  and  robed  in  black,  approached  one  by  one 
and  dropped  a  single  ball  into  the  receptacle.  The  sliding  door 
was  moved  back  as  each  drew  near  and  closed  again  when  the 
ballot  had  been  deposited.  When  all  present  had  voted  the  at 
tendant  drew  the  balls  singly  from  the  box  and  held  it  up  in 
the  feeble  light  for  inspection.  A  single  white  ball  drawn  forth 
would  for  the  present  at  least  have  annulled  the  decision  of  the 
court.  The  count  was  awaited  with  the  utmost  anxiety,  and 
when  it  was  concluded  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  went  through  the 
black-robed  assemblage.  By  unanimous  vote  Johan  Ankerstrom 
had  been  adjudged  worthy  of  death. 

It  was  one  thing  for  the  klan  to  resolve  that  the  prisoner  in 
the  Nashville  jail  should  be  sent  out  of  the  world  for  his  mis 
deeds,  and  another  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to  carry  this  re 
solve  into  execution.  The  whole  matter  was  left  to  the  discre 
tion  of  a  commitee,  of  which  Pearson,  while  not  named  as  one  of 


294  The  K.  K.  K. 

the  number,  was  the  real  head.  It  was  determined  that  no  vio 
lent  attempt  to  break  into  the  jail  should  be  made,  but  that  by 
some  stratagem  custody  should  be  obtained  of  the  criminal's  per 
son.  This  might  require  some  further  delay,  but  with  the  under 
standing  that  all  reasonable  diligence  should  be  used  in  the 
furtherance  of  this  purpose  the  resolute  regulators  were  content 
to  wait.  The  die  now  was  cast.  At  some  date  in  the  near  future 
the  scattered  members  of  the  klan  would  again  be  called  together, 
this  time  to  witness  the  execution  of  the  wretch  who  by  taking 
advantage  of  the  "  law's  delays,"  and  the  technical  rules  that 
hamper  justice,  had  so  long  escaped  the  fate  he  richly  deserved. 
Before  the  assembly  dissolved,  Pearson  spoke  a  few  words  to 
his  neighbors  and  friends  gathered  about  him  in  the  cheerless 
room.  They  were  words  not  of  apology,  but  of  justification  for 
himself  and  others  in  postponing  so  long  the  action  that  had  just 
been  taken.  Mob  law,  or  the  infliction  of  punishment  for  crime 
by  unauthorized  citizens,  he  repeated  was  conduct  not  to  be  justi 
fied  in  a  community  until  it  had  been  abundantly  demonstrated 
that  justice  could  not,  or  would  not,  be  inflicted  through  the 
medium  of  the  courts.  Where  the  laws  were  capable  of  dealing 
with  crime,  where  the  courts  could  be  relied  on  for  the  speedy 
administration  of  justice,  mob  law  was  never  justifiable.  It  was 
almost  suicidal,  for  when  good  citizens  resorted  to  illegal  vio 
lence  they  encouraged  the  disorderly  persons  among  them  to  pur 
sue  the  same  course.  Moreover,  when  the  good  people  of  any 
community  took  the  law  in  their  own  hands  they  advertised  to  the 
world  that  their  laws  were  inefficient,  or  that  they  had  no  confi 
dence  in  the  officials  whose  duty  it  was  to  administer  them.  No 
matter  how  monstrous  a  crime  was  good  citizens  would  always 
leave  its  punishment  to  the  proper  authorities  if  they  believed  an 
investigation  would  be  speedily  held  and  the  guilty  offender 
promptly  made  to  pay  the  penalty.  For  these  reasons  he,  and 
those  who  agreed  with  him,  had  hesitated  long  before  advising 
that  the  murderer,  Ankerstrom,  should  be  dealt  with  by  others 
than  the  legal  authorities.  Nearly  two  years  had  now  passed, 
and  apparently  the  punishment  of  the  murderer  was  farther  off 
than  any  one  in  the  neighborhood  had  supposed  it  could  be  at 
the  outset.  The  chances  were  all  in  favor  of  acquittal  at  the 
next  trial  of  the  prisoner  before  a  jury,  and  even  in  the  improb 
able  event  of  his  conviction  an  appeal  would  again  be  taken  by 
his  attorney,  and  this  would  postpone  the  final  decision  of  his 


Which  Tells  of  a  Carousal  at  the  Jail.         295 

case  nearly,  if  not  quite,  a  year  longer.  No  blame  at  all  was  to 
be  attached  to  the  officials,  said  Pearson,  who  spoke  calmly  and 
temperately  throughout  his  brief  address.  They  were  good  men, 
the  judges  were  conscientious,  and  undoubtedly  learned  in  their 
profession.  The  trouble  seemed  to  be  that  the  law  itself  was  not 
abreast  with  the  times.  In  this  business  age  to  say  that  a  guilty 
man  cannot  be  punished  until  two  or  three  years  have  elapsed 
after  the  commission  of  his  crime  is  to  say  that  justice  is  not  to 
be  administered  without  radical  change  in  our  laws.  He,  the 
speaker,  believed  at  the  outset  that  the  murderer  of  the  widow 
Bascombe  would  be  speedily  tried  in  open  court  and  punished 
for  his  crime.  So  believing  he  resisted  to  the  utmost  any  attempt 
to  interfere  with  the  due  course  of  law.  Now  he  saw  his  mistake, 
and  as  such  crimes  could  not  be  permitted  to  go  unpunished  with 
a  clear  conscience,  he  recommended  that  the  wronged  people  of 
the  community  take  the  law  in  their  own  hands  and  deal  with  the 
evildoer  as  he  deserved.  "  Mob  law,"  said  Pearson  in  conclu 
sion,  "  is  to  be  avoided,  my  friends,  as  long  as  possible  because 
of  the  terrible  mistakes  it  sometimes  makes.  Because  of  the  fact 
that  passion,  and  not  sober  reason,  dictates  its  decrees.  Because 
it  begets  contempt  for  the  law  in  the  minds  of  the  evil  disposed, 
who  can  only  be  controlled  by  respect  for  the  law.  Because  it 
proclaims  to  the  world  that  the  community  which  resorts  to  it,  or 
upholds  it,  is  not  wise  enough  to  provide  a  regular  method  for 
prompt  punishment  of  its  criminals,  but  must  accomplish  this 
end,  if  at  all,  by  spasmodic  effort,  made  in  a  burst  of  passion.  Mob 
law,  wherever  it  may  be  found,  and  whatever  the  provocation  that 
calls  it  forth,  is  a  thing  always  to  be  deprecated  by  sober  citizens. 
It  is  never  to  be  justified  except  upon  the  ground  that  there  would 
be  otherwise  a  failure  of  justice,  and  whenever  this  excuse  is 
offered  it  necessarily  reflects  upon  the  community  in  whose  behalf 
it  is  presented.  It  is  therefore  with  the  utmost  reluctance  that 
I  have  at  last  consented  to  the  execution  of  the  plan  upon  which 
we  have  all  agreed  here  to-night.  I  congratulate  both  you  and 
myself  upon  the  fact  that  our  course  has  not  been  determined 
upon  in  haste,  but  after  the  display  of  so  much  caution  and  de 
liberation  that  there  is  reason  to  fear  the  lesson  of  the  murderer's 
punishment  will  be  lost  upon  the  community.  Many  no  doubt 
will  be  ready  to  censure  us  for  our  long  delay,  but  wise  people 
will  see  in  it  only  our  great  reluctance  to  interfere  with  the  law 
and  the  constituted  authorities.  I  trust  the  time  will  soon 


296  The  K.  K.  K. 

come  in  Tennessee  when  a  man  may  be  arraigned  for  crime,  given 
a  prompt  hearing  in  the  courts  in  a  plain,  common-sense  way,  and 
speedily  liberated  or  punished  for  his  crime,  as  reason  and  jus 
tice  may  dictate.  When  that  time  comes  every  good  man  will  be 
glad  to  uphold  the  law,  and  the  secret  order  of  the  K.  K.  K.  may 
be  disbanded  forever." 

The  dull  fire  in  the  old  house  was  entirely  extinguished.  There 
was  the  hum  of  low  voices  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  the  mem 
bers  of  the  klan  disappeared  and  went  their  several  ways  in  the 
thickly  falling  snow. 


Alabama  Sam  and  De  Little  Ole  White  Man.    297 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE  UNGENTLEMANLY  BEHAVIOR  OF  ALABAMA  SAM  AND  DE  LITTLE 
OLE  WHITE  MAN  AT  THE  ABODE  OF  PATSY  KINCHEN. 

TEMPLETON  had  not  been  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  klan 
described  in  the  last  chapter.  His  home  was  in  another  county, 
and  consequently  it  was  not  often  he  could  be  with  his  friends 
and  brethren  of  the  order  at  their  gathering  by  night.  He  was  a 
member  in  good  standing,  however,  and  very  popular  with  them 
all,  for  he  was  generous,  truthful,  and,  though  a  trifle  impulsive, 
could  always  be  relied  on  to  exercise  both  courage  and  discretion 
when  these  qualities  were  needed.  A  fortnight  or  so  after  the 
klan  had  determined  to  take  action  in  the  Ankerstrom  case  he  paid 
a  visit  to  the  Marrowbone  Hills,  remained  all  night  and  most  of 
the  following  day  at  the  Habersham  habitation,  and  then,  being 
somewhat  of  a  lady's  man,  as  the  reader  knows,  rode  over  to  pay 
his  respects  to  Miss  Sue  Bascombe.  Templeton  had  a  high  re 
spect  for  Miss  Bascombe,  considering  her  a  fine  girl  with  no  non 
sense  about  her,  and  besides  she  was  associated  with  him  in  the 
K.  K.  K.  hobgoblin  league  upon  some  dreadfully  mysterious  foot 
ing  which  the  author  of  this  chronicle  fully  understands,  but 
which  he  is  not  at  liberty  to  divulge. 

When  the  young  man  reached  the  abode  of  the  lady  whom  he 
proposed  to  honor  with  his  call  he  was  not  particularly  pleased  to 
find  a  horse,  with  a  man's  saddle,  hitched  at  the  rack.  He  thought 
perhaps  it  was  Slowboy  come  again — for  he  had  heard  of  the 
former  visit  of  the  lawyer,  and  his  startling  adventure  in  the  hills 
— but  upon  entering  the  house  found  his  sober  friend  Randolph 
Pearson  comfortably  settled  in  an  arm-chair  by  the  fire.  Pear 
son  bade  him  a  cheerful  welcome — though  he  looked  a  little  dis 
concerted  at  his  unexpected  appearance — and  the  young  lady 
gieeted  him  with  a  cordial  handshake,  which  led  him  to  conclude 
she  was  really  glad  to  see  him. 

"  We  were  discussing  an  interesting  matter  when  you  came 


298  The  K.  K.  K. 

in,  Mr.  Templeton,"  remarked  the  girl  after  the  three  were  seated, 
"  and  would  like  to  have  the  benefit  of  your  judgment  upon  it. 
Last  year,  as  you  will  remember,  my  horse  was  stolen  by  a  rather 
singular  old  man  who  passed  himself  off  for  a  farmer.  Not  long 
before  that  your  nag  and  Polly  Habersham's  saddle  horse  were 
both  taken  on  the  same  night  by  a  rather  singular  old  man,  who, 
I  think,  passed  himself  off  for  a  Bible  agent." 

"  No  more  o'  that  if  you  love  me,"  cried  Templeton,  calling 
Falstaff  to  his  aid. 

"  But  it  was  so,"  continued  the  young  lady.  "  Now  nobody  at 
that  time  could  imagine  who  this  little  old  man  was,  or  where 
he  came  from,  or,  what  was  of  more  importance,  where  he  went 
to  immediately  after  concluding  each  of  these  business  transac 
tions.  It  was  as  mysterious — the  sudden  appearance  and  disap 
pearance  of  this  old  gentleman — as  the  adventure  that  befell  my 
friend,  Mr.  Slowboy,  up  yonder  in  the  hills  some  time  since,  of 
which  I  suppose  you  have  heard." 

"  I  have  heard  all  about  it,"  quoth  Templeton,  breaking  into  a 
hearty  laugh,  "  and  I'll  tell  you  what's  the  fact " 

"  Coming  back  to  the  point,"  resumed  Miss  Bascombe,  "  this 
same  old  man,  or  some  other  old  man  answering  to  his  general 
description,  has  been  dodging  about  in  this  neighborhood  again 
of  late,  and  we're  very  sure  he  can  be  after  no  good.  He  has 
turned  up  at  three  or  four  farmhouses  as  a  peddler,  though  he 
seems  to  have  retired  from  the  Bible  business.  Once  or  twice  he 
and  a  tall  black  negro  have  been  seen  skulking  together  up  in  the 
hills,  and  only  last  night  the  two  went  to  the  house  of  Patsy 
Kinchen — the  wife  of  Sandy,  whom  they  hung — and  got  supper 
there.  Patsy  came  over  just  now  to  tell  me  about  it.  She  is  in 
the  kitchen  now." 

"  Fetch  her  in  at  once,''  cried  Templeton.  "  I  want  to  get  on 
the  track  of  that  old  Bible  peddler  if  the  thing  can  be  accom 
plished.  If  I  had  him  out  to  one  side  now  I'd  make  him  think  the 
Turks  were  a  merciful  people." 

Patsy,  being  summoned,  presently  appeared  at  the  front  door 
of  the  residence.  She  scraped  her  feet  a  good  while  on  the  mat 
here  before  venturing  in.  Finally  she  trod  as  lightly  as  possible 
through  the  hall,  and  slowly  turning  the  knob  of  the  door  that 
led  into  the  company  room  she  introduced  her  person  sideways 
into  that  apartment. 

"  'Devenin',  ladies  and  gen'lemun,"  said  Patsy  politely,  when 


Alabama  Sam  and  De  Little  Ole  White  Man.    299 

she  had  closed  the  door  behind  her.  "  'Devenin'  Miss  Sue. 
'Devenin',  Marse  Ran.  'Devenin',  Mr.  Unbeknowns."  (Patsy, 
had  no  acquaintance  with  Mr.  R.  L.  Templeton.) 

"  Come  in,  Patsy,"  said  Sue,  "  and  tell  us  about  the  visit  of  the 
little  old  white  man  and  the  negro  to  your  house  last  night." 

"  Must  I  tell  it  ag'in,  jess  like  I  told  it  to  you?  " 

"  Yes,  begin  at  the  beginning,  and  tell  it  all." 

"  Wai,  den,  if  so  be  I  must,"  began  Patsy  hesitatingly,  "  and  dar 
ain't  no  help  for  it  neither  one  way  nor  t'other,  I  s'pose  I'd  jest  as 
well  begin,  and  go  right  straight  along  wid  it.  Last  night,  den, 
ladies  and  gen'lemun,  and  Miss  Sue,  and  Marse  Ran,  and  Mr. 
Unbeknowns,  whiles  I  was  a  sittin'  in  my  room  wid  my  cob  pipe 
in  my  mouth — supper  having  done  been  ett — and  my  boy  Pete, 
like  he  in  jineral  do  atter  supper,  was  sittin'  up  in  de  cornder 
'sleep;  and  de  dog  which  dey  calls  Jineral  Beauregard,  sich  bein' 
his  name,  was  likewise  up  in  his  cornder  'sleep;  de  fust  thing  I 
know'd  he  riz,  de  dog  did,  and  turn  his  ha'r  de  wrong  way  and 
growled.  I  say  to  myself,  I  say,  '  Why  hi,  what  dat  dog  growlin' 
at  ?  '  De  words  hadn't  hardly  got  out'n  my  mouth  bef o'  de  door 
open — 'twa'n't  latched — and  in  comes  de  little  old  white  man — 
what  I  told  you  'bout,  Miss  Sue — and  Alabama  Sam  clost  at  his 
heels.  '  Coot  efenin',  laty,'  say  de  little  ole  white  man,  a  bowin' 
mighty  low."  (Patsy  bowed  herself  here  to  the  company,  to 
show  how  the  little  old  white  man  had  bowed.)  "  '  Coot  efenin', 
laty,'  he  say;  and  de  very  minit  he  called  me  lady  I  know'd  he 
wa'n't  no  gentleman.  In  dey  bofe  comes  do,  and  Alabama  Sam, 
which  is  given  up  to  be  de  meanest  nigger  in  all  de  country,  he 
took  a  cheer  widout  bein'  axed.  Den  de  little  ole  white  man  he 
bow  ag'in,  and  spread  his  hands,  and  smile,  and  sidled  over  into 
de  cornder,  and  took  anodder  cheer.  And  atter  he  done  took  his 
cheer  he  riz  up  all  of  a  sudden  and  say  to  me,  '  Laty,  coot  you  giff 
us  a  pite  to  eat  ?  '  I  got  right  up  for  to  wait  on  him  bekase  I  seed 
he  was  some  kind  of  a  furriner,  and  I  was  minded  of  dat  furriner 
what  got  Sandy  into  his  scrape.  Whiles  I  was  a  fixin'  supper 
de  little  ole  white  man  and  Alabama  Sam  dey  drawed  dar  cheers 
close  togedder,  and  talk  kinder  low  to  one  anodder.  Ev'y  now 
and  den  I  could  hear  a  word,  and  Pete  heerd  nigh  onto  ev'y 
word  dat  was  spoke.  Pete  had  done  woke  up,  mind  you,  but 
didn't  let  on  dat  he  was  woke  up.  De  sum  and  substance  of  it 
all  was  dat  dey  was  fixin'  to  do  sumpen  what  was  gwine  to  raise 
hell  in  de  country  no  sooner'n  'twas  did."  (Whether  the  pro- 


300  The  K.  K.  K. 

fanity  originated  with  Patsy,  or  was  intended  as  a  free  quotation 
from  the  conversation  of  her  visitors,  did  not  appear.)  "  What 
dat  sumpen  was  dey  was  fixin'  to  do  dey  didn't  zackly  say,  but 
from  de  roocus  dey  was  spectin'  it  to  kick  up  it  was  bound  to  be 
wusser'n  any  common  devilment.  I  wenf  on  fixin'  de  table,  and 
never  sa;d  nothin'  'cause  I  know'd  Alabama  Sam  was  a  mean 
nigger,  and  de  little  ole  white  man  what  kep'  company  wid  him 
wa'n't  no  better'n  him.  Atter  while  dey  bofe  sot  down  to  de  table 
and  ett  up  all  de  vittles  dar  was  in  reach.  When  dey  got  up  de 
little  ole  white  man  bow  low  ag'in  and  spread  his  hands  and  say, 
*  Cot  pless  you,  mine  frient,'  which  was  mighty  small  pay  for 
the  vittles  dey  had  'stroyed.  Den  Pete  he  woke  up  sho  nuff,  and 
say  we  axed  a  quarter  for  supper.  And  Alabama  Sam  he  says  to 
Pete,  '  We*  charges  a  dollar  a  piece  for  our  company,  and  de  fust 
time  you  git  de  change  you  kin  hand  me  de  balance  wot's  comin* 
to  us/  Den  dey  bofe  sot  by  de  fire  and  smoked  a  while,  and  when 
dey  riz  to  go  de  little  ole  white  man  he  say  to  me : 

"  *  Vere  your  husspund,  laty  ?  ' 

I  say  he  was  dead. 

" '  Dot  ish  pad,  dot  ish  pad/  de  little  ole  white  man  say. 
'  What  make  your  husspund  die  ?  Vot  de  doctor  say  vos  de 
matter?1 

"  I  never  say  nothin',  and  Alabama  Sam  he  spoke  up,  and  say, 
'  De  damn  white  folks  in  dese  parts  hung  him  kase  he  was  a 
nigger.* 

"  At  dat  de  little  ole  white  man  flung  up  bofe  his  hands  and 
shook  his  head  and  say,  '  Mine  Cot,  vot  a  coontry,  vOt  a  peobles/ 
Dem's  de  very  words  he  spoke.  And  atter  dat  de  little  ole  white 
man  and  Alabama  Sam  took  deyselves  off,  and  I  hain't  seed  nary 
one  of  'em  sence." 

When  Patsy  had  concluded  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  rose  and 
remarked,  "  That's  the  very  infernal  scoundrel  that  took  my 
horse.  Patsy  has  hit  him  off  to  a  T." 

"  I  think,"  chimed  in  Miss  Sue,  "  he's  the  very  scoundrel  that 
took  my  horse.  Patsy's  account  corresponds  well  with  the  de 
scription  given  by  Uncle  Davy  of  the  little  old  white  man  who 
rode  Dandy  Jim  off  through  the  middle  of  the  town  in  broad  open 
daylight." 

"  I  think,"  said  Pearson,  who  had  been  sitting  by  the  fire  mus 
ing,  "  I  am  safe  in  going  one  step  farther  and  saying  I  know 
pretty  well  who  the  little  old  white  man  is.  If  I  am  not  much 
mistaken  I  saw,  him  on  the  steps  of  the  State  Capitol  the  day  the 


Alabama  Sam  and  De  Little  Ole  White  Man.   301 

Supreme  Court  rendered  its  decision  in  the  Ankerstrom  case.  He 
there  used  the  very  words  Patsy  has  put  in  his  mouth — '  Cot  pless 
you,  mine  frient ' — and  she  has  mimicked  his  tone  and  described 
his  obsequious  manner  to  perfection.  The  man  I  heard  using 
the  expression  was  addressing  Palaver,  Ankerstrom's  lawyer,  and 
Palaver  told  the  friend  with  whom  he  was  walking  that  the  old 
gentleman  was  the  father  of  his  client,  and  a  most  exemplary  cit 
izen  in  the  State  from  which  he  came." 

"  The  devil,"  says  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton. 

"  Ladies  present,"  remarked  Miss  Sue. 

"  De  reason  I  come  to  tell  you,"  resumed  Patsy,  "  was  bekase  I 
seed  dat  nigger  and  white  man  was  up  to  some  devilment.  And 
bekase  dey  'stroyed  my  vittles  widout  bein'  invited.  And  bekase 
dey  bemeaned  our  white  folks  by  chargin'  up  to  dem  what  was 
did  by  dat  low  lived  furriner,  Cross-eyed  Jack.  And  bekase  de 
little  ole  white  man  called  out,  '  Mine  Cot,  vot  a  coontry,  vot  a 
peobles'  right  dar  in  my  house,  and  I  wa'n't  used  to  sich  lan- 
gwidges.  Dat's  de  reason  I  come." 

"  You  did  exactly  right,  Patsy,"  quoth  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Temple- 
ton,  "  and  here's  a  dollar  to  pay  for  the  vittles  the  two  scoundrels 
destroyed.  Now  the  next  question  is,  which  way  did  they  go  ?  " 

"  Dat  I  can't  say,"  answered  Patsy.  "  Whar  dey  come  from 
I  dunno.  Whar  dey  went  to  I  dunno." 

"  Well,  I'll  tell  you  what,"  said  Mr.  Templeton.  "  Pete  found 
the  scoundrel  they  call  Cross-eyed  Jack " 

"  Pete  and  Jineral  Beauregard  done  dat,"  interrupted  Patsy. 
"  De  dog  found  him  fust." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Templeton.  "  Now  let  Pete  and  Jineral 
Beauregard  find  Jack's  daddy  and  there's  two  dollars  apiece  for 
them  here  in  my  pocket.  That  is,"  explained  Mr.  Templeton, 
"  there's  two  dollars  for  Pete,  and  two  dollars  more,  you  under 
stand,  to  be  expended  by  Pete  for  the  dog's  benefit." 

"  Dat's  right,"  said  Patsy ;  "  for  de  dog  do  need  a  brass  col 
lar,  same  as  other  gentlemanlike  dogs  has  on." 

"  Do  you  think  Pete  and  Jineral  Beauregard  can  find  'em  ?  " 

"  Dey  ain't  to  tackle  'em  atter  dey  come  up  wid  'em  ?  " 

"  No,  just  to  find  'em  and  let  me  know  where  they  are.  I'll 
do  the  tackling  when  I  come  up  with  the  little  old  white  man." 

"  You  see,  Patsy,"  explained  Miss  Bascombe,  "  the  little  old 
[white  man  has  in  his  possession  several  Bibles  for  Mr.  Temple- 
toni  jvhich  he  has  failed  to  deliver." 


The  K.  K.  K. 

"  That's  all  right— that's  all  right,"  replied  Mr.  Templeton 
good  naturedly.  "  You  tell  Pete  to  take  his  dog  and  go  hunting 
for  Alabama  Sam  and  the  little  old  white  man,  and  as  soon 
as  he  finds  'em,  Patsy,  to  come  back  here,  and  let  Miss  Sue  Bas- 
combe  know  where  they  are  stopping.  He  can  find  'em  without 
taking  any  chances.  If  he  came  close  upon  them  they  wouldn't 
hurt  him." 

"  Dey  ain't  gwy  ketch  him,"  said  Patsy,  "  unless  dey  kin  run 
mighty  peert.  Pete  and  de  dog  I  b'lieves  kin  find  out  whar  dey 
lodges  ef  you  and  Miss  Sue  and  Marse  Ran  wants  to  know  dat 
much  about  'em." 

"  I  would  like  very  much  to  know,  Patsy,"  replied  Pearson, 
"  and  I  think  your  son  can  get  this  information  for  us  more 
readily  than  any  one  else,  and  that  too  without  his  running  any 
risk  of  getting  hurt." 

"  And  de  news  is  wuth  four  dollars  to  dis  here  Mr.  Unbe- 
knowns  ?  "  inquired  Patsy. 

"  It's  worth  five,"  replied  the  generous  Templeton.  "  I'll  make 
it  five,  Patsy.  Two  for  Pete,  two  for  the  dog,  and  one  for  you." 

"  Nuff  said,"  replied  Patsy  promptly.  "  Ef  Pete  and  de  dog 
kin  make  dat  money  by  tromping  round  de  country  I'll  see  dat 
dey  do  it.  Dey  been  tromping  all  dey  lives  for  nuthin' ;  now  dey 
kin  tromp  a  while  for  money." 

Patsy  having  withdrawn  from  the  room  there  was  an  earnest 
discussion  over  the  intelligence  she  had  brought.  That  the  little 
old  white  man  was  a  horse  thief  and  a  bold  scoundrel  generally 
was  pretty  certain.  He  had  done  much  mischief  in  the  neighbor 
hood  and  was  back  presumably  to  do  more.  The  jail  was  the 
place  for  him,  and  if  he  could  be  located  his  apprehension  would 
soon  follow.  How  he  and  his  gang  had  secreted  themselves  and 
smuggled  horses  out  of  the  country  during  the  preceding  year 
was  still  an  unfathomed  mystery,  but  one  that  would  probably 
be  solved  if  the  ringleader  could  be  caught  and  safely  locked 
up.  The  fact  that  the  old  man  was  the  father  of  the  prisoner, 
Ankerstrom,  would  make  the  whole  community  especially  glad 
to  get  hold  of  him,  and  the  three  persons  who  were  now  discuss 
ing  the  matter  could  not  resist  the  conclusion  that  his  presence 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  his  son's  crime  had  some  con 
nection  with  the  future  conduct  of  the  case.  Templeton  would 
return  to  his  home  on  the  following  day,  and  Pearson  was  about 
to  take  a  trip  to  St.  Louis  on  business  which  would  probably  de* 


Alabama  Sam  and  De  Little  Ole  White  Man.    303 

tain  him  a  week  or  more.  It  was  therefore  resolved  between  the 
three  who  sat  in  council  that  as  soon  as  anything  was  learned  of 
the  whereabouts  of  the  old  man  and  his  negro  companion  Sue 
Bascombe  should  promptly  notify  some  member  of  the  K.  K.  K. 
brotherhood  and  the  arrest  of  the  two  villains  should  follow  at 
once.  Templeton  was  for  having  them  before  a  called  meeting 
of  the  klan  and  stringing  them  both  up  to  a  limb  as  soon  as  the 
formality  of  a  moonshine  trial  could  be  gone  through  with. 
Pearson,  however,  set  his  foot  down  emphatically  on  this  proposi 
tion,  and  as  he  outranked  Templeton  in  the  order  the  latter  was 
bound  to  acquiesce  in  his  decision.  Sue  Bascombe  sat  by  quietly 
while  the  rather  heated  discussion  was  going  on,  and  took  no 
further  part  in  it  than  to  remark  that  if  the  gentlemen  desired  to 
hang  the  old  scamp  who  had  stolen  Dandy  Jim  there  was  a  rope 
very  handy  in  the  barn. 


304  The  K.  K.  K. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

AN  INTREPID  LAD  AND  HIS  DOG,  HAVING  TRAMPED  ALL  THEIR  LIVES 
FOR  NOTHING,  CONCLUDE  TO  TRAMP  A  WHILE  FOR  PAY. 

WHEN  Patsy  Kitchen  reached  her  humble  but  snug  abode  in 
the  hills  she  lost  no  time  in  notifying  Pete  and  the  dog  of  the 
high  trust  that  had  been  reposed  in  them  by  the  members  of  the 
conference  in  Miss  Sue  Bascombe's  parlor,  and  also  of  the  liberal 
remuneration  that  awaited  them  in  case  of  the  successful  per 
formance  of  the  allotted  task.  Patsy  was  honest,  and  explained 
to  Pete — and  also  to  the  dog,  who  sat  by  and  gave  strict  heed  to 
her  words — that  five  dollars  was  the  sum  promised  for  the  faith 
ful  discharge  of  duty  in  the  present  case,  of  which  she  was  to  re 
ceive  a  single  dollar  as  promoter  of  the  enterprise,  while  Pete  and 
the  dog  were  to  divide  the  remaining  four  equally  between  them. 
It  was  explicitly  stated  for  their  edification  that  it  was  not  their 
duty  to  engage  the  enemy,  if  they  came  into  close  quarers  unex 
pectedly,  but  they  must  rather  consider  themselves  as  a  scouting 
party  which  was  expected  to  obtain  needed  information  at  small 
risk,  and  which  should  always  stand  ready  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat 
whenever  an  inclination  for  combat  was  discovered  upon  the  op 
posite  side.  While  combat,  however,  was  to  be  avoided,  and 
danger  to  be  shunned,  Pete  and  Jineral  Beauregard  must  bear  in 
mind  that  their  task  was  not  accomplished  when  they  merely 
came  in  view  of  Alabama  Sam  and  de  little  ole  white  man,  for 
Patsy  herself  had  achieved  this  much  upon  the  preceding  evening. 
These  worthies  were  to  be  tracked  to  their  den,  and  word  brought 
back,  if  possible,  showing  precisely  where  they  hid  when  not  en 
gaged  in  depredating  upon  the  community,  and  whether  or  no  any 
other  evil-minded  persons  consorted  with  them. 

These  matters  being  properly  understood,  Pete,  with  pardonable 
pride  at  being  intrusted  with  so  important  a  mission,  set  himself 
diligently  to  work  to  discover  the  whereabouts  of  Alabama  Sam 
and  de  little  ole  white  man.  If  he  could  once  get  on  their  trail 


An  Intrepid  Lad  and  His  Dog.  305 

he  anticipated  no  trouble  in  tracking  them  down  to  the  place  of 
their  abode,  which  he  made  no  doubt  was  at  some  of  the  many 
lurking  places  in  the  hills.  He  and  Jineral  Beauregard  had 
scented  out  rabbits,  coons,  foxes,  and  other  varmints,  starting 
often  on  a  very  cold  trail,  and  to  trace  so  clumsy  an  animal  as  a 
human  being  to  his  retreat  would  be  an  easy  job  compared  with 
following  up  a  wary  four-footed  beast  of  the  wood.  The  first 
trouble,  however,  was  to  once  more  get  wind  of  the  two  marauders 
who  had  come  uninvited  to  his  mother's  house  at  night.  Here  he 
had  more  difficulty  than  he  had  anticipated,  for  though  he  ram 
bled  the  country  over  for  some  days  he  neither  saw  nor  heard  of 
their  having  been  at  any  other  house,  nor  did  he  come  upon 
either  of  them,  as  he  supposed  he  would,  tramping  upon  some  one 
of  the  few  roads  in  the  country.  The  boy  asked  no  questions,  for 
to  have  done  so  might  have  disclosed  the  fact  that  he  was  inter 
ested  in  the  movements  of  the  two  vagabonds,  but  he  kept  his 
ears  open,  and  his  eyes  open,  and  sought  faithfully  for  a  clue  that 
followed  up  would  introduce  him  once  more  to  their  acquaintance. 
Unless  they  had  taken  themselves  entirely  out  of  the  country  they 
must  obtain  food  somehow,  and  this  could  only  be  done  by  openly 
applying  for  it,  as  at  his  mother's  house,  or  by  depredating  at 
night,  which  would  certainly  occasion  a  stir  when  the  theft  was 
discovered.  They  might  have  laid  up,  like  the  thrifty  squirrel, 
a  winter's  supply  in  some  hole,  but  Pete  hardly  thought  this  was 
probable,  as  they  had  not  been  heard  of  in  the  community  until  a 
few  days  previous,  and  they  would  have  no  motive  that  he  could 
see  in  establishing  permanent  headquarters  in  the  neighborhood. 
No  horses  had  been  stolen  lately,  no  other  wrongful  appropriation 
of  personal  property  had  been  made  recently,  except  the  larceny 
of  a  few  shoats  from  a  farmer's  fattening  pen ;  and  this  had  been 
traced  directly  to  the  door  of  black  Dave,  who  had  owned  up 
like  a  man  and  -excused  himself  on  the  ground  that  he  was  short 
of  meat. 

Pete  was  about  to  conclude  that  his  game  had  sought  another 
range,  when  one  clear  night — it  was  a  warm  spell  in  March,  and 
the  moon  was  shining  bright  as  day — as  he  and  Jineral  Beaure 
gard  were  wending  their  way  homeward  they  both  about  the 
same  moment  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  some  individual  on 
foot  was  approaching  from  the  opposite  direction.  Quietly  drop 
ping  out  into  the  bushes  they  waited  for  the  pedestrian  to  pass, 
and  as  he  went  by  at  a  long,  steady  stride  the  urchin  was  over- 
20 


306  The  K.  K.  K. 

joyed  to  recognize  in  the  traveler  the  identical  colored  gentleman 
who  a  short  while  before  at  his  mother's  residence  had  placed 
such  an  extravagant  estimate  on  the  value  of  his  own  society. 
The  unsuspecting  footman  passed  on,  and  Pete,  with  Jineral  Beau- 
regard  at  his  heels  as  soon  as  it  was  prudent  to  do  so, 
dropped  into  the  road  behind  him,  determined  to  follow 
whithersoever  he  went.  He  was  evidently  bound  for  some 
particular  spot,  which  was  clearly  fixed  in  his  own  mind, 
for  he  walked  straight  on,  and  did  not  saunter  like  a 
man  who  is  not  very  particular  whether  he  gets  anywhere 
or  not.  The  lad  and  the  dog  had  no.  trouble  in  keeping 
on  his  track,  for  he  deviated  not  from  the  road,  and  did  not  seem 
to  fear  observation,  as  was  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  he  passed 
close  to  two  or  three  farmhouses  which  sat  immediately  upon 
the  roadside.  He  walked,  too,  so  firmly  that  Pete  when  he 
stopped  and  listened  could  catch  the  sound  of  his  footsteps,  though 
the  latter  was  careful  not  to  get  so  nigh  that  the  man  he  was 
shadowing  could  see  him  if  he  chanced  to  look  back.  After  a 
tramp  of  three  or  four  miles  Alabama  Sam  left  the  main  high 
way  and  took  another  road  that  led  off  to  the  right.  This  was 
a  much  less  frequented  route,  but  Pete  was  familiar  with  it,  for 
he  had  made  tracks  along  nearly  every  highway  and  byway  in 
ten  miles  of  his  mother's  house.  He  could  now  hear  the  steps  of 
the  man  in  front  more  distinctly,  for  the  route  was  getting  stony, 
and  he  and  Jineral  Beauregard  kept  on  cautiously  in  pursuit. 
Presently  the  sound  of  the  footsteps  died  out  at  about  the  point 
where  Pete  knew  a  little  stream  crossed  the  road.  Advancing 
with  more  speed  down  to  this  stream  Pete  laid  down,  and,  placing 
his  ear  close  to  the  ground,  listened  for  some  moments.  He 
heard  no  more  steps  on  the  stony  road,  but  was  surprised  to  hear 
a  gentle  splashing  in  the  water  above,  as  of  some  one  wading  up 
the  creek.  Picking  his  way  along  the  bank  he  stopped  again  after 
going  a  short  way,  and  became  convinced  that  some  object  was 
wading  upstream.  It  might  be  a  cow,  but  if  so  what  had  gone 
with  Alabama  Sam?  And  if  'twas  Alabama  Sam,  what  motive 
could  induce  him  to  wade  up  the  creek,  when  the  dry  land  was  bet 
ter  and  speedier  walking  ?  Pete  was  not,  like  Hamlet,  a  youth  with 
whom  the  native  hue  of  resolution  was  often  sicklied  o'er  by  the 
pale  cast  of  thought,  but  was  wont  to  act  promptly  in  his  business 
concerns  without  much  cogitation  either  before  or  after  the  event. 
He  now  made  a  short  detour,  with  the  dog  close  at  his  heels,  and, 


An  Intrepid  Lad  and  His  Dog.  307 

traveling  more  rapidly  than  it  was  possible  for  the  man  in  the 
water  to  do,  reached  a  large  rock  close  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave 
from  which  the  stream  issued.  Behind  this  friendly  shelter  he  and 
Jineral  Beauregard  hid  themselves  and  awaited  developments.  It 
was  not  long  before  Alabama  Sam  hove  in  sight,  wading  as  de 
liberately  as  if  he  had  been  a  kingfisher  in  search  of  a  meal.  The 
moon  shone  down  brightly  enough  on  the  space  immediately  about 
the  opening  of  the  cavern,  and  Pete  had  no  difficulty  in  recogniz 
ing  the  long  black  African  as  he  took  his  way  upstream  over  the 
slippery  stones.  When  he  reached  the  mouth  of  the  cave  he  did 
not  step  out  onto  the  dry  sandy  space  within,  as  Pete  had  sup 
posed  he  would,  but  kept  on  wading  straight  upstream.  The 
lad  crept  down  close  to  the  creek,  and,  lying  flat  on  the  ground; 
watched  the  man  he  had  shadowed  for  more  than  five  miles. 
When  he  had  disappeared  in  the  utter  darkness  of  the  cavern  Pete 
crossed  over  the  stream  and  made  his  way  forward  along  the  dry 
bottom,  on  the  left  edge  of  which  the  little  creek  ran.  There  was 
no  danger  now  of  being  seen,  for  he  and  the  negro  in  front  were 
both  in  total  darkness.  He  had  been  the  route  many  times 
and  knew  precisely  where  the  cavern  forked  into  two  channels  j 
the  one,  broad  and  easily  trodden,  leading  far  back  into  the  in 
terior  of  the  hill,  the  other,  low  and  narrow,  and  its  bed  entirely 
covered  by  the  rushing  stream.  He  had  supposed,  of  course, 
that  the  man  in  front  would  here  leave  the  water  and  fol 
low  the  broad  passage  trodden  by  all  who  cared  to  explore  the 
cave.  No  one  that  he  knew  of  had  ever  ventured  far  up  the  nar 
row  opening  through  which  the  swift  current  of  water  wound  its 
way,  and  the  general  impression  was  that  at  short  distance  above 
the  volume  of  water  filled  the  entire  channel  and  rendered  it  im 
passable  for  any  creature.  As  the  lad,  trusting  to  the  favoring 
darkness,  pressed  forward  more  rapidly  he  came  near  being  dis 
covered,  for  at  the  parting  of  the  ways  Alabama  Sam  halted  and 
struck  a  match.  The  light  illumined  the  cavern  for  some  dis 
tance  back,  but  Pete  slunk  into  the  deep  shadow  and  watched  him. 
He  had  drawn  a  small  lantern  from  his  bosom,  which  he  pro 
ceeded  to  light,  dropping  the  match  into  the  water.  The  lad 
observed  that  he  had  taken  off  his  shoes  and  trousers,  having  these 
tied  about  his  neck.  Pausing  here  only  a  moment  to  light  his 
lamp,  the  negro  man,  to  Pete's  astonishment,  instead  of  proceed 
ing  along  the  main  passage  of  the  cave,  continued  wading  on  up 
the  stream,  and  soon  disappeared  behind  a  curve  in  the  channel. 


308  The  K.  K.  K. 

Pete  Kinchen  had  in  him  enough  of  the  stuff  that  heroes  are 
made  of  to  induce  him  in  this  particular  emergency  to  sacrifice  all 
thought  of  personal  safety  to  the  cause  he  had  rashly  espoused. 
As  soon  as  the  lantern  of  Alabama  Sam  ceased  to  cast  its  ray  along 
his  path  he  promptly  stripped  himself  of  every  rag  of  clothing  he 
had  on  and  made  ready  to  follow,  regardless  of  consequences. 
He  calculated  that  as  the  man  in  front  expected  the  water  would  be 
deep  enough  to  reach  his  waist  it  would  probably  come  up  to  his 
(Pete's)  neck,  and  made  arrangements  accordingly.  Before  set 
ting  out  on  this  exceedingly  hazardous  venture  Pete  Kinchen  took 
the  precaution  to  grasp  Jineral  Beauregard  by  the  throat  and  ad 
minister  to  him  a  choking  that  carried  much  further  would  have 
extinguished  life.  By  this  seemingly  unnecessary  act  of  cruelty 
he  admonished  his  friend  and  companion  that  in  the  further  con 
duct  of  the  expedition  the  strictest  secrecy  must  be  observed  and 
perfect  silence  maintained,  whatever  might  befall.  Pete  had  fre 
quently  before  choked  his  dog  into  silence  when  the  latter  was  in 
the  act  of  becoming  noisy  upon  inappropriate  occasions,  and  thus 
an  understanding  was  readily  arrived  at  between  them  that  when 
ever  it  was  inexpedient  for  the  dog  to  use  his  voice  this  fact  was 
to  be  signified  to  him  by  putting  him  for  a  while  in  a  condition 
where  he  couldn't  use  it.  If  the  choking  was  moderate,  and  of 
short  duration,  Jineral  Beauregard  understood  that  for  a  brief 
while  he  was  to  refrain  from  loud  demonstration.  If  it  was  se 
vere  and  prolonged  he  was  to  emit  no  sound  of  any  kind  until 
Pete  himself  had  broken  silence,  and  thus  served  notice  on  him 
that  the  restriction  was  removed.  In  the  present  instance  the 
choking  was  the  most  determined  that  had  ever  been  admin 
istered  and  made,  as  the  event  demonstrated,  a  profound  impres 
sion  on  the  recipient. 

Pete  Kinchen  having  choked  Jineral  Beauregard,  as  he  thought, 
sufficiently,  concluded  by  patting  him  gently  on  the  head  to  assure 
him  that  the  punishment  had  not  been  administered  as  a  chastise 
ment  for  fault  committed,  but  by  way  of  caution  to  him  in  the 
regulation  of  his  future  conduct.  He  then  took  his  dog  in  his 
arms,  and,  without  the  slightest  hesitation,  waded  up  the  swift 
creek  after  Alabama  Sam.  He  was  quicker  of  motion  than  the 
older  negro,  and  more  used  to  water,  so  that  before  he  had  waded 
many  minutes  he  came  in  sight  of  the  light  again,  or  rather  of  the 
ray  it  threw  upon  the  solid  stone  wall  ahead  of  him.  Sometimes 
he  lost  this  ray,  then  again  he  found  it,  but  he  proceeded  straight 


An  Intrepid  Lad  and  His  Dog.  309 

upstream  all  the  while  without  halting,  for  there  was  no  danger 
of  missing  the  way.  Once  or  twice  he  got  a  little  nearer  than  he 
wished,  but  the  man  he  was  pursuing  never  thought  to  look  back. 
The  wading  of  the  lad  up  the  stream  behind  him  did  not  attract 
his  attention,  for  the  splashing  of  the  water  against  the  sides  of  the 
cavern  drowned  all  else.  On  the  two  went,  or  rather  the  three, 
the  man  unconscious  that  he  was  being  watched,  Pete  determined 
to  follow  him  to  the  end  of  his  journey,  Jineral  Beauregard  shiver 
ing  from  cold  and  the  novelty  of  his  position,  but  mindful  of  the 
injunction  to  remain  dumb,  come  what  would. 

After  many  windings  and  turnings  the  light  in  front  came  to  a 
stand,  and  Pete,  peering  cautiously  forward,  saw  Alabama  Sam 
sitting  upon  what  he  knew  must  be  dry  ground,  drawing  on  his 
trousers.  The  lantern  was  deposited  by  his  side,  and,  noting  the 
surroundings  closely,  the  lad  discovered  that  here  was  another 
dry  passage,  while  the  channel  through  which  the  stream  flowed 
led  off  in  a  different  direction.  The  negro  man  now  put  on  his 
shoes  and  took  the  time  to  tie  them.  Then  he  stood  up,  and,  draw 
ing  a  bottle  from  his  pocket,  held  it  to  his  lips  long  enough  to 
swallow  a  considerable  part  of  its  contents.  Having  thus  re 
freshed  himself  he  deliberately  corked  the  bottle  and  replaced  it 
in  his  side  pocket.  All  this  while  Pete  Kinchen  viewed  him  with 
a  critic's  eye,  and  Jineral  Beauregard  was  an  interested  observer 
of  his  movements.  They  both  regarded  him  narrowly  while  he 
remained  by  the  water's  edge,  and  Pete  moved  promptly  forward 
as  soon  as  Alabama  Sam  picked  up  his  lantern  and  started  away. 
The  light  was  sparkling  some  distance  ahead  when  the  lad  reached 
the  water's  edge  and  released  Jineral  Beauregard,  who  could  not 
refrain  from  cutting  a  gladsome  but  noiseless  caper  when  he 
found  himself  once  more  on  "dry  land.  Guided  by  the  friendly 
light  Pete  followed  with  but  little  difficulty,  and  was  as  close  upon 
it  as  he  dared  to  go  when  it  suddenly  disappeared  from  the  pas 
sage.  But  though  the  lantern  itself  was  lost  to  view  the  passage 
still  remained  dimly  lighted,  showing  it  was  not  far  away.  Ob 
serving  now  great  caution  the  lad  crept  forward  and  had  advanced 
but  a  little  way  when  he  heard  the  sound  of  human  voices.  He 
paused  and  listened,  and  then  crept  on  again  on  his  hands  and 
knees.  He  could  tell  plainly  now  that  the  voices  came  from  a 
side  room,  or  niche,  near  the  main  passage.  A  dim  light  also 
struggled  from  this  inner  recess  and  partially  dispelled  the  dark 
ness  of  the  passage  w'*hout.  Creeping  nearer  and  nearer,  and 


310  The  K.  K.  K. 

very  slowly,  the  lad  reached  a  point  at  last  from  which  he  could 
spy  into  the  rough  apartment  from  which  the  voices  came.  Here 
sat  two  individuals — Alabama  Sam  and  de  little  ole  white  man — 
by  a  slow  wood  fire,  which  had  almost  died  down  to  coals. 

When  Pete  Kinchen  saw  them  sitting  comfortably  by  the  fire 
he  suddenly  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  he  himself  was  shivering 
violently,  and,  rising  in  his  place,  he  quietly  moved  his  arms  rap 
idly  over  his  head  and  twisted  his  body  into  all  sorts  of  unnatural 
positions,  thus  forcing  his  blood  into  brisk  circulation  and  working 
himself  into  something  like  a  glow.  He  was  hardy  as  a  pine  knot 
and  the  interior  of  the  cavern  was  less  trying  upon  him  than  the 
open  air  without  would,  at  that  season  of  the  year,  have  been. 
After  having  administered  to  himself  a  sharp  lesson  in  gymnastics 
the  lad  crouched  near  the  entrance  way  into  the  recess  and  sought 
to  catch  the  drift  of  the  conversation  between  the  two  men.  They 
spoke  in  low  tones,  and  yet  were  not  particularly  guarded  in  their 
utterances,  since  neither  dreamed  that  an  interloper  was  near  at 
hand. 

"  Wai,"  said  the  negro,  "  I  ain't  in  much  fix  for  takin'  de  road 
ag'in,  but  if  dis  here  thing's  to  be  did  at  all  it's  got  to  be  did  to 
morrow  night.  Dat  man's  a  comin'  home  on  de  train  to-morrow 
evenin'.  He'll  ride  by  his  lone  self  from  de  deppo,  along  de  ridge 
road,  to  de  place  whar  he  lives.  Dat  much  I  done  found  out,  and 
dat  much  kin  be  depended  on.  If  we  don't  git  him  on  dat  ride  we'd 
better  clean  out  from  dis  country  and  let  him  alone  for  good  and 
all.  For  my  part,  I  don't  hanker  arter  dis  job  no  how,  and  I'd  a 
heap  ruther  throw  it  up  right  here,  and  now,  than  to  go  furder 
with  it." 

"  Lizden  at  dot,"  replied  the  little  ole  white  man.  "  I  didn't 
know  you  vos  pigeon-livered,  Zammy." 

"  I  don't  like  dis  job,"  replied  the  negro.  "  Dat's  what  I  said, 
and  I  sticks  to  it." 

"  Veil  veil,"  said  the  little  old  white  man,  shaking  his  head,  "  vill 
vonders  neffer  cease?  Mine  frient  Kervackenparse  show  de  vite 
fedder?  No,  no.  Tis  is  some  otter  person  I  zee  pefore  me,  and 
not  mine  frient  Zam.  Mine  frient  Zam  Kervackenparse  iss  a  prave 
man  and  no  coward." 

"  Who  said  I  was  a  coward  ?  "  inquired  the  negro  in  a  blustering 
way. 

"  No  von,  no  von,  Zam,"  replied  the  oW  rnan.  "  Vooefifer  sess 
tat  iss  a  liar,  and  de  tnite  iss  not  in  him.' 


An  Intrepid  Lad  and  His  Dog.  311 

"  You  stick  to  dat,"  said  Sam,  "  and  you  won't  miss  it  fur. 
Bar's  plenty  of  jobs  a  man  don't  hanker  arter,  and  yit  if  he's 
passed  his  word  he'll  go  through  wid  'em  or  die.  Leastwise 
he  will  if  he's  de  right  kind  of  a  man." 

"  Ah,  tat  iss  Zam  Kervackenparse  talkin',"  replied  the  old  man 
earnestly.  "  Tat  iss  mine  frient  Zam."  He  drew  a  long  black  bot 
tle  from  the  heap  of  straw  near  him  and  held  it  high  in  his  hand. 
"  I  trink  to  mine  frient  Zam,"  he  exclaimed.  "  VooefTer  puts  der 
troost  in  him  vill  not  pe  dizzerpointed." 

The  old  man  here  took  a  swig  at  the  bottle  and  passed  it  to  the 
negro,  who,  though  he  had  just  imbibed,  took  another  long 
swallow. 

"  Git  my  gun  ready,"  said  the  negro,  seemingly  emboldened 
by  his  liquor.  "  If  this  thing's  got  to  be  did  I  must  be  off  to 
night." 

"  Vot !  "  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman.     "  Not  to-night,  Zam?  " 

"  I  done  told  you,"  replied  Alabama  Sam,  "  dat  dis  here  man 
Pearson  is  a  comin'  home  ter-morrow  night  widout  any  fail.  He's 
done  writ  a  letter  back  tellin'  'em  to  send  his  hoss  to  de  deppo,  and 
ter-morrow  mornin'  a  boy  is  gwy  take  his  hoss  to  de  deppo  and 
leave  him  dar.  De  boy  will  come  straight  back  in  de  day  time,  and 
ter-morrow  night  Ran  Pearson  will  ride  home  by  hisself  in  de 
night  time.  Dat  is,  he  will  ride  part  of  de  way  home.  Whedder 
he'll  make  de  whole  trip  is  anodder  question." 

The  old  man  here  clapped  himself  on  the  thigh  and  laughed 
softly.  "  Tat  iss  Zam  Kervackenparse  talkin',"  he  exclaimed. 
"  Tat  iss  mine  frient  Zam." 

"  Now,"  said  the  negro,  "  if  dis  thing's  to  be  did  dar  ain't  but  one 
way  to  do  it,  and  dat's  de  right  way.  Ran  Pearson,  I  done  told 
you,  will  ride  de  ridge  road,  and  de  lonesomest  part  of  dat  road  is 
de  long  hollow  about  five  mile  from  de  deppo.  Dar  is  a  great  big 
sycamore  tree  standin'  close  to  de  road,  and  a  man  behind  dat 
tree  kin  git  a  good  range  on  anodder  man  ridin'  down  de  road 
to'ds  him.  Right  dar  is  de  place  to  fix  him,  if  it's  de  plan  to  fix 
him  at  all." 

"  Don't  say  if,  Zammy,"  replied  the  old  gentleman.  "  Leaf  off 
dat  '  if,"  mine  frient." 

"  Well,  den,  dar's  de  place  to  fix  him,"  said  the  negro.  "  And 
if  I'm  de  man  what's  got  to  do  de  fixin',  I'd  oughter  be  at  de  place 
by  daylight  ter-morrow  mornin'.  I'd  oughter  travel  to  de  place 
in  de  night  time,  and  not  in  de  day  time,  and  I'd  oughter  hide  dar 


312  The  K.  K.  K. 

in  de  bushes  all  day,  so  as  to  be  rested  by  de  time  dis  here  Ran 
Pearson  comes  along.  When  he  rides  up  to  dat  sycamore  tree  I 
want  to  be  fresh  and  at  my  best.  And  when  I've  sent  a  ball 
through  his  head  and  made  sho  he's  dead  as  a  mackerel,  I  want  to 
skip  out  from  dar  and  run  like  hell.  Dat's  me." 

"  Dat  iss  mine  frient  Zam  Kervackenparse  talkm',"  replied  the 
old  man.  "  Vooeffer  calls  mine  frient  a  coward  iss  a  liar,  and  de 
trute  iss  not  in  him." 

"  Dey  won't  s'picion  me,"  continued  the  negro,  "  if  nobody  sees 
me  gwine  to'ds  de  place  and  nobody  sees  me  comin'  away." 

"  Dot  iss  ver'  true,"  replied  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Dey'll  say,  too,"  continued  the  negro,  "  dat  I  didn't  have  no 
motive  for  killin'  Ran  Pearson,  and,  sence  I  come  to  steddy  'bout 
it,  damn  me  if  I  have  got  any  motive  for  killin'  him." 

"  Zam,"  said  the  old  gentleman  seductively,  "  dot  iss  de  ver'  rea 
son  vy  you  should  kill  him.  If  I'm  took  up  for  murter  te  tamn 
lawyers  vill  say,  '  He  haff  a  motiff ; '  and  dey  vill  hang  me.  If  you 
pe  took  up  dey  vill  zay,  '  He  haff  no  motiff ;'  and  zo  you  vill  go 
free  as  te  'appy  pird.  Dot  pein  zo,  mine  frient,  you  must  do  de 
killin',  and  I  must  make  retty  to  prufe  a  hallerpy.  Let  effry  man 
tend  to  his  own  part  uff  de  piziness." 

"  All  right,  boss,"  replied  the  negro.  "  I  ain't  never  flickered 
yit  when  I  was  called  on  to  do  my  part  of  a  ugly  job,  and  I  ain't 
apt  to  flicker  dis  time.  I  must  be  fifteen  miles  away  from  here 
by  daylight,  and  dat  means  I  got  to  walk  all  night.  I've  walked 
already  good  ten  miles  to-day,  and  my  legs  will  be  tired  when  I 
gets  to  dat  sycamore  tree  on  de  ridge  road.  I  kin  give  'em  a  long 
rest  though  ter-morrow.  Dar's  some  comfort  in  dat." 

"  Mine  frient  Kervackenparse,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  rising 
and  bowing  respectfully,  "  I  haff  to  zay  dot  I  admires  you  ver' 
much.  I  do,  s'help  me.  Your  sgin  iss  plack,  Zam,  but  your  'art 
iss  in  de  right  blace." 

After  extending  this  neat  compliment  the  old  gentleman  walked 
round  the  fire  and  shook  hands  cordially  with  his  friend.  The 
two  now  made  hurried  preparations  for  the  departure  of  the  negro, 
who  rejected  all  invitations  to  stay  longer  in  the  cavern,  saying  he 
would  rest  from  time  to  time  on  the  wayside  as  he  journeyed 
that  night.  After  the  assassination  of  Pearson  he  and  the  old  gen 
tleman  would  meet  at  a  designated  spot  beyond  the  borders  of  the 
State,  to  which  point  the  negro  was  to  hurry,  tramping  likewise  all 
of  the  following  night. 


An  Intrepid  Lad  and  His  Dog.  313 

"Zam,"  said  the  old  gentleman  by  way  of  parting  injunction 
when  the  negro  was  ready  to  start,  "  pevare  uff  te  pottle.  Trink 
iss  coot  to  cheer  te  zoul,  but  dere  iss  times,  mine  frient,  ven  de 
head  needs  to  be  gool  more  tan  de  zoul  needs  to  be  cheered. 
Keep  gool,  Zammy ;  keep  gool,  mine  frient !  " 

Seeing  they  were  about  to  depart  Pete  and  his  dog  stole  back 
along  the  passway  toward  the  stream.  They  kept  ahead  of  the 
light  as  the  two  men  emerged  into  the  passage,  and  at  one  of  the 
many  broken  places  in  the  cavern  wall  the  boy  crouched  low  for 
the  negro  and  the  old  man  to  pass.  They  went  by  engaged  in 
talk,  the  lantern  throwing  its  riys  straight  ahead.  When  they 
reached  the  water's  edge  the  negro  again  disrobed  himself  to  the 
extent  of  taking  off  his  shoes  and  trousers,  tying  these  around  his 
neck  as  before.  He  then  took  the  lantern  in  his  hand  and  bade 
the  old  man  good-by. 

"  Zam,"  said  the  old  gentleman  as  he  wrung  the  negro's  hand 
affectionately — "  Kervackenparse,  mine  frient,  vateffer  iss  vurt 
doing  at  all  iss  vurt  doing  veil.  Make  no  miztake,  mine  frient, 
make  no  miztake.  Vix  him  zo  de  shudge  vill  uxcuse  him  for  not 
pein  at  te  court  next  time.  Vix  him  zo  he  vill  not  meddle  mit 
otter  people's  pizness  neffer  agin,  Zammy,  in  dis  vorld." 

"  You  'pend  on  me,  boss/'  replied  the  negro.  With  this  part 
ing  assurance  he  stepped  into  the  swift  stream  and  began  his  slip 
pery  walk  down  the  current.  The  old  man  watched  him  till  the 
glimmer  of  the  lantern  no  more  lit  the  thick  darkness  of  the  cav 
ern.  After  the  light  had  entirely  disappeared  he  sat  down  by  the 
water's  edge  and  communed  with  himself  a  while  before  returning 
to  his  more  cheerful  quarters  by  the  fire. 

"Ah  me,  tis  vorld  iss  full  of  throoble  and  onpleasantness.  I  vish 
dat  peoble  in  dis  vorld  vould  mind  dere  own  pizness  and  not 
meddle.  I  do,  s'help  me.  Dere  vent  avay  shust  now  mine  colored 
prudder  and  mine  own  thrue  frient.  Vot  for  mine  colored  prudder 
and  mine  own  thrue  frient  go  out  and  tramp  de  lonesome  road  dis 
night  ?  It  iss  pecause  de  tamn  man,  Perryerson,  vill  not  mind  his 
own  pizness.  He  vill  meddle,  meddle,  meddle;  and  dat  vy  mine 
frient  Kervackenparse  must  tramp  de  lonesome  road  dis  night  and 
do  de  shob  he  haff  promise.  Meppe  dis  night  vork  vill  git  mine 
frient  Kervackenparse  into  throoble.  Meppe  so,  meppe  so.  If  zo 
I  vill  stand  py  mine  frient  Kervackenparse  like  a  prudder  and  a 
shentleman.  I  vill,  s'help  me.  I  vill  stand  py  mine  frient  Ker 
vackenparse  till  hell  freeze  ofer.  I  vill,  I  vill.  If  dey  gits  him  in 


3H  The.  K.  K.  K. 

de  shail  I  vill  hire  me  a  lawyer  for  him  if  it  cost  pig  money.  I  vill 
hire  me  a  coot  lawyer  vot  vill  speak  de  law  plain  to  de  shudge  and 
de  tamn  shury,  and  tell  dem  trutes  vot  dey  should  mind.  If  so  pe 
de  tamn  man,  Perryerson,  as  he  coom  along  raise  his  arm  to  svitch 
his  'orse,  dot  vill  pe  sel-luff  devense  for  Zam.  If  he  shake  his 
head,  tviddle  his  fingers,  make  any  common  motion,  dot  vill  pe 
sel-luff  devense,  for  nobody  can  tell,  mind  you,  vot  he  haff  a  no 
tion  to  do  next.  Dot  iss  de  p'int.  It  iss  not  so  much  vat  a  man  do, 
mind  you,  dot  make  sel-luff  devense,  but  vat  he  may  haff  a  notion 
to  do  next.  And  if  zo  pe  te  tamn  man,  Perryerson,  do  not'ing  at 
all ;  if  he  coom  along  vast  asleep,  and  Zam  shoot  him  dead,  dot 
vill  pe  inzanity,  for  dere  vill  pe,  mind  you,  no  motiff  dat  peoble 
can  zee,  and  de  absence  of  motiff  go  alvays  to  show  inzanity.  Dis 
vot  de  coot  lawyer  vill  say  to  de  shudge  and  te  tamn  shury,  and  if 
dey  do  not  lizden  to  him  de  coot  lawyer  vill  not  mind,  for  dere  vill 
still  pe  leff  de  plessed  hallipi  and  de  onreasonable  doubt.  So  valk 
on,  valk  on,  mine  frient  Kervackenparse ;  valk  on,  mine  colored 
prudder,  and  do  de  shob  vot  you  promise,  and  haff  no  fear.  I 
vill  act  like  de  shentleman  if  throoble  coom,  and  hire  me  a  coot 
lawyer  for  you,  and  stand  py  you,  mine  frient  Kervackenparse 
till  hell  freeze  ofer.  I  vill,  I  vill." 

The  old  man's  voice  here  died  away,  and  for  some  moments 
longer  he  sat  in  silence  by  the  water's  edge.  Then  he  resumed 
his  soliloquy  in  a  less  confident  tone : 

"  But  vot  for  I  zay  vot  I  say  ?  If  mine  frient  Kervackenparse 
do  de  shob  vot  he  promise,  and  dey  gits  him,  he  vill  neffer  zee  de 
shail.  He  vill  haff  no  need  for  de  coot  lawyer  vot  I  hire ;  for  de 
tamn  mob  vill  hang  him  so  kevick  as  hell  vould  scorch  a  fedder. 
Mine  Cot,  mine  Cot,  but  dis  iss  a  heathen  coonthry.  Valk  on, 
valk  on,  mine  frient  Kervackenparse ;  valk  on,  mine  colored  prud 
der  ;  but  if  dey  gits  you  you  vill  pe  in  von  hell  of  a  vix.  Ah  me, 
I  vish  dot  effry  man  in  dis  vorld  vould  mind  his  own  pizness.  I 
do,  s'help  me.  But  dey  vill  not,  and  dat  vy  my  frient  Kervacken 
parse  must  valk  de  lonely  road  dis  night,  and  do  de  shob  vot  he 
haff  promise,  and  take  de  conze-ke-vences.  Coot-py,  mine  colored 
prudder ;  if  de  tamn  mob  hang  you  up  like  a  dog  I  vill  not  forgit 
you.  Coot-py,  coot-py,  mine  own  thrue  frient ;  your  sgin  iss 
plack,  but  your  'art  iss  in  de  right  blace." 


Terrific  Combat  in  the  Cavern.  315 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

TERRIFIC   COMBAT  IN  THE  CAVERN   BETWIXT  PETE  KINCHEN,   JIN- 
ERAL  BEAUREGARD,  AND  DE  LITTLE  OLE  WHITE  MAN. 

FROM  his  post  against  the  cavern  wall  Pete  Kinchen  had  watched 
with  interest  the  proceedings  by  the  water  side,  and  heard  every 
word  uttered  either  by  the  two  before  parting  or  by  de  little  ole 
white  man  in  the  melancholy  soliloquy  set  forth  in  the  last  chapter. 
When  the  light  had  entirely  disappeared  he  rose,  tired  of  his 
crouching  position,  and  stood  close  against  the  wall,  with  his  dog 
at  his  heels.  There  was  no  danger  now  of  observation,  and  as 
soon  as  de  little  ole  white  man  had  returned  to  his  dram  bottle  and 
his  fire  Pete  would  follow  Alabama  Sam  down  the  creek,  and,  after 
resuming  his  raiment,  would  proceed  without  delay  to  give  Miss 
Sue  Bascombe  the  benefit  of  the  highly  important  information  that 
had  come  into  his  possession.  He  shot  his  arms  out  in  the  dark 
ness  again  and  gave  himself  another  lesson  in  gymnastics  as  he 
stood  waiting  the  time  when  the  coast  would  be  clear,  and  he 
might  set  forth,  with  his  dog  in  his  arms,  on  his  wet,  winding,  and 
slippery  journey  to  the  outer  world. 

Some  time  in  the  pitch  dark  de  little  ole  man  sat  by  the  water's 
edge,  soliloquizing  occasionally,  revolving  deep  problems  in  his 
mind,  warmed  up,  no  doubt,  occasionally  by  the  liquor  that  had 
gone  down  his  throat.  Finally,  in  pensive  mood,  he  rose  and  set 
forth  on  his  return  to  his  quarters,  being  minded  when  he  got 
there  to  take  one  more  stout  drink  for  a  nightcap  and  then  to 
tumble  into  bed.  He  knew  the  route  perfectly,  but  as  he  went 
thrust  his  hand  out  at  every  few  steps  to  touch  the  wall  on  his 
right,  and  thereby  avoid  butting  his  head  against  some  rough  pro 
jections  that  he  remembered  to  be  on  the  left  side.  It  came  to 
pass  after  he  had  thus  steered  his  course  a  short  distance,  that  as 
his  right  hand  went  forth  on  one  of  these  errands  he  laid  it  in  a 
friendly  way  on  the  body  of  Pete  Kinchen.  who  was  standing  close 
against  the  wall  with  not  the  slightest  idea  that  such  a  misadven 
ture  was  about  to  befall  him. 


316  The  K.  K.  K. 

When  Robinson  Crusoe  came  unexpectedly  upon  a  human  foot 
print  in  the  sand  on  his  desert  island  he  was  appalled,  and  rashly 
concluded  that  the  devil  had  put  it  there.  Crusoe  made  his  amaz 
ing  discovery,  be  it  remembered,  in  the  broad  open  day  time,  and 
had  leisure  to  stand  round  and  moralize  on  the  singular  spectacle 
that  had  arrested  his  attention.  What  was  his  experience  com 
pared  with  that  of  our  worthy  old  friend,  who  groping  his  way 
toward  his  lonely  couch  suddenly  encountered  in  the  thick  dark 
ness  and  dead  stillness  of  a  cavern  some  cold,  slick,  quivering 
object  concerning  which  he  could  feel  assured  at  the  time  of  noth 
ing  more  than  that  it  was  alive.  Did  any  of  you,  my  friends,  in  the 
ups  and  downs  of  life  ever  meet  with  just  such  an  adventure  as 
that  ?  I  dare  say  not,  and  if  not  you  can  no  more  imagine  the  old 
gentleman's  sensations  at  the  moment  than  I  can  describe  them, 
which  I  shall  not  be  rash  enough  to  undertake  to  do. 

As  for  cogitation  on  the  subject  of  his  discovery  there  was  time 
for  none,  for  as  the  old  gentleman  laid  his  open  hand  unwittingly 
on  the  cold,  slick  something  his  fingers  unconsciously  clutched  in 
the  effort  to  grasp  it,  and  on  the  instant  Pete  shot  out  his  right  fist 
with  such  vigor  as  to  cause  de  little  ole  white  man,  though  a  half- 
mile  under  ground,  to  see  stars. 

All  alone,  and  in  pitch  darkness,  the  old  gentleman,  if  strictly 
sober,  would  most  probably  have  turned  and  fled  from  his  un 
known  adversary.  But  he  was,  as  the  reader  knows,  a  little  the 
worse,  or  rather,  a  little  the  better,  for  liquor,  and  his  courage, 
therefore,  considerably  outran  his  discretion.  I  do  not  mean  he 
was  drunk,  for  the  old  gentleman  was  not  drunk,  but  simply  that 
he  had  been  elevated  into  that  frame  of  mind  which  makes  a  man 
do  and  dare  lofty  things.  Whatever  our  prohibition  friends  may 
say  to  the  contrary,  I  maintain,  with  St.  Paul,  that  good  liquor, 
taken  in  moderation,  is  excellent  for  the  stomach,  and  likewise 
worketh  well  upon  other  parts  of  the  system,  making  a  man 
oftentimes  bold  at  a  moment  when  it  is  incumbent  upon  him  to  dis 
play  valor.  This  was  exactly  the  case  on  the  present  occasion  with 
the  old  gentleman,  and,  finding  himself  assaulted  without  provoca 
tion,  he  struck  out  blindly  in  the  dark  on  his  own  account  and  tried 
to  give  the  party  of  the  second  part — whoever  or  whatever  it 
might  be — a  Roland  for  an  Oliver.  Thereupon  the  two  clinched, 
and  tussled,  and  shuffled,  and  strove  mightily,  up  and  down,  and 
sideways,  and  every  way,  in  the  terrific  blackness  of  the  cavern. 
Now  it  would  have  seemed  to  the  casual  observer — if  a  casual  ob- 


Terrific  Combat  in  the  Cavern.  317 

server  had  been  possible — that  Pete  was  getting  the  better  of  the 
exciting  contest,  and  now  it  would  have  seemed  that  de  little  ole 
white  man  was  slightly  in  the  lead ;  but  they  fought  and  fought 
with  varying  success  and  unabated  vigor,  and,  of  course,  without 
the  slightest  encouragement  from  outside  source  to  brace  up  either 
one  or  the  other. 

In  penning  the  last  paragraph  I  wrote  without  reflection.  Jin- 
eral  Beauregard  when  hostilities  began  was  crouching  betwixt 
Pete's  legs,  shivering  violently,  and  turning  over  in  his  mind  such 
matters  as  presumably  would  occupy  the  mind  of  a  dog  in  his  pe 
culiar  situation.  As  soon  as  he  became  aware  that  a  fight  was  in 
progress — and  it  took  him  not  more  than  an  instant  to  grasp  this 
fact — he  mixed  up  in  it  with  the  full  intent  to  aid  his  friend  as 
much  as  he  could  and  do  the  enemy  all  the  damage  possible.  In 
furtherance  of  this  laudable  purpose  he  sidled  round  and  round 
the  combatants,  avoiding  Pete's  lower  extremities,  and  making 
snatches  at  de  little  ole  white  man's  legs  as  often  as  he  could  with 
safety  seize  upon  one  of  these.  At  first  he  made  naturally  a  few 
mistakes,  and  more  than  once  got  a  taste  of  Pete's  meat  when  it 
had  been  his  design  to  forage  upon  the  enemy.  After  a  brief  ex 
perience,  however,  he  was  enabled,  either  by  the  help  of  instinct  or 
reason,  to  avoid  such  awkward  mistakes  altogether.  His  nose  no 
doubt  was  cunning  enough  to  detect  the  flavor  of  Pete's  legs,  and 
to  restrain  his  mouth  as  soon  as  he  concluded  to  subject  the  latter 
to  the  guidance  of  the  former.  Moreover,  his  friend's  legs  were 
bare,  while  those  of  the  enemy  were  clothed  in  the  usual  habila- 
ments  of  the  masculine  human.  The  combat,  therefore,  had  hardly 
passed  its  incipient  stage  before  Jineral  Beauregard  knew  as  well 
when  and  where  to  use  his  jaws  as  if  some  one  had  been  standing 
by  with  a  candle  to  enable  him  to  act  with  discretion  in  the  matter. 
Fortunately  for  de  little  ole  white  man  he  wore  next  to  his  person 
a  thick  buckskin  undersuit,  which  he  had  adopted  as  a  protection 
against  the  raw  atmosphere  of  the  cavern,  and  which  now  served 
him  as  a  safeguard  against  the  vengeance  of  Jineral  Beauregard's 
teeth.  That  heroic  animal  waged  incessant  war  upon  the  lower  ex 
tremities  of  his  antagonist,  who  was  so  busily  engaged  otherwise 
that  he  could  take  no  other  notice  of  the  dog's  repeated  assaults 
than  now  and  then  to  give  a  vigorous  kick  at  him  in  the  dark. 
Finally  discovering  that  his  bite  was  not  doing  as  much  damage 
as  he  contemplated  the  four-footed  combatant  rushed  in  upon  the 
biped  he  wished  to  embarrass,  and,  fixing  his  teeth  firmly  in  the 


3i8  The  K.  K.  K. 

woolen  and  buckskin  leggings  of  the  latter,  held  on  thereto  like 
grim  death.  Jineral  Beauregard  was  a  dog  of  great  firmness  and 
singleness  of  purpose,  and  when  he  fixed  his  mind  on  a  thing  di 
rected  all  his  ideas  and  energies  in  that  direction  to  the  complete 
oblivion  of  everything  else.  So  having  firm  hold  now  on  the  lower 
habiliments  of  de  little  ole  white  man,  he  shut  his  eyes  tight — 
though  he  could  not  have  seen  a  wink  if  they  had  been  wide  open — 
clinched  his  jaws  with  a  lasting  grip,  and  made  ready  to  stay  by 
his  antagonist  to  the  end  of  the  combat,  and  not  to  turn  loose  then 
until  he  was  choked  off.  He  tugged  and  tugged,  swung  round  and 
round  with  the  struggling  bipeds,  and  seemingly  had  no  more  idea 
of  losing  his  hold  than  if  his  mouth  had  been  a  patent  time  lock 
that  would  only  come  open  at  a  certain  fixed  hour  in  the  future, 
no  matter  what  effort  might  be  made  to  unkey  it  sooner. 

At  this  stage  of  the  engagement  I  would  call  the  reader's  atten 
tion  to  an  important  fact  which  gave  no  small  advantage  to  Pete 
and  Jineral  Beauregard,  and  militated  greatly  against  de  little  ole 
white  man  in  the  combat. 

Pete  Kinchen  knew  precisely  who  it  was  that  was  engaging  his 
attention  at  the  moment;  beyond  all  question  Jineral  Beauregard 
understood  it  was  human  legs  he  was  operating  upon ;  but  de  little 
ole  white  man  had  not  the  slightest  inkling  as  to  the  nature  and 
fashion  of  the  creatures  that  had  so  unexpectedly  beset  him  deep 
down  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  There  were  two  or  three  circum 
stances  which,  as  the  reader  must  agree,  were  calculated  to  add 
to  his  perplexity  and  raise  in  his  mind  a  reasonable  doubt  as  to 
whether  his  foemen,  either  or  both,  were  of  the  human  species,  or, 
indeed,  were  creatures  of  this  earth  at  all. 

Imprimis,  not  the  slightest  sound  had  been  emitted  by  any  of  the 
participants  in  this  curious  combat.  De  little  ole  white  man  himself 
refrained  from  giving  voice  to  his  distress  because  he  knew  he  had 
no  friend  in  the  cavern,  and  to  cry  aloud  might  bring  down  on  him 
legions  of  other  creatures  similar  to  those  he  was  now  contending 
with.  Pete  Kinchen  persistently  held  his  tongue  because  he  appre 
ciated  the  advantage  he  was  reaping  by  keeping  de  little  ole  white 
man  completely  in  the  dark  as  to  who  and  what  his  antagonist 
was,  and  because  he  feared  if  he  spoke  his  opponent  would  recog 
nize  the  voice  of  a  child  and  be  emboldened  thereby.  Jineral 
Beauregard  maintained  profound  silence  for  the  sufficient  reason 
that  he  had  been  given  to  understand — by  the  choking  process 
heretofore  mentioned — that  he  must  be  literally  a  dumb  brute  un- 


Terrific  Combat  in  the  Cavern.  319 

til  his  commanding  officer  had  given  notice  that  his  vocal  organs 
might  once  more  be  brought  into  play.  So  they  all  went  round 
and  round,  doing  such  mischief  as  they  could,  but  raising  no 
other  noise  in  the  cavern  than  that  of  a  light  scraping  upon  the 
loose  sand  of  the  floor.  Presently  the  fact  that  this  most  as 
tounding  battle  was  being  waged  altogether  in  silence  became 
deeply  impressed  upon  the  mind  of  de  little  ole  white  man,  and  it 
awed  him. 

Another  circumstance  which  added  to  the  perplexity  of  the 
hard-pressed  tenant  of  the  cavern — who  felt  he  had  rights  there, 
if  anybody  had  rights — was  the  singular  method  of  waging  war 
adopted  by  the  two  creatures  who  were  leagued  against  him.  The 
creature  at  his  heels  he  might  have  taken  for  some  kind  of  a  var 
mint,  but  what  varmint  was  it  that,  emitting  no  cry,  would  attach 
itself  to  a  man's  raiment,  and  seem  content  to  live  and  die  in  that 
position?  De  little  ole  white  man  was  not  a  backwoodsman,  but 
he  had  never  seen  such  a  varmint,  and  did  not  remember  ever  to 
have  heard  or  read  of  such  a  one.  But  again,  what  awful,  slick, 
cold,  slippery  thing  was  this  that  now  he  held  in  his  arms,  and  now 
he  didn't,  and  that  fought  as  never  human  creature  fought  on  this 
planet  since  time  began  ? 

I  would  have  the  reader  bear  in  mind  in  this  connection  that 
Pete  Kinchen,  while  conducting  this  engagement,  was — as  we 
Latin  scholars  would  say — in  puris  naturalibus,  which  signifies, 
being  interpreted,  in  his  birthday  suit;  or,  to  put  it  even  more 
pointedly,  stark  naked.  His  method  of  fighting  was  not  uncom 
mon  among  the  negro  boys  with  whom  he  usually  consorted,  but 
it  was  brand  new  to  the  old  gentleman  with  whom  he  was  now 
struggling  for  the  mastery.  De  little  ole  white  man  was  tough, 
and,  while  undersized,  was  strong  and  active  for  one  of  his  years. 
He  had  been  in  his  time  somewhat  of  a  scrapper,  and  thoroughly 
understood  the  Queensbury  rules  and  all  the  other  rules  that  gov 
ern  gentlemen  who  have  been  trained  in  the  noble  and  manly  art 
of  fisticuffing.  He  could  box  with  the  best,  would  not  sully  his 
reputation  by  striking  his  antagonist  below  the  belt,  and  in  wrest 
ling  could  give  the  man  in  his  arms  such  a  squeeze  that  it  would 
crack  his  bones.  All  these  achievements  were  easy  to  de  little  ole 
white  man,  and  consequently  when  drawn  into  a  personal  en 
counter  he  usually  began  in  confidence  and  concluded  in  triumph. 
But  what  of  this  unmannerly  creature  that  never  had  heard  tell  of 
the  Queensbury  rules,  or  if  familiar  with  them  considered  himself 


320  The  K.  K.  K. 

for  some  reason  at  liberty  to  disregard  them  all  ?  What  kind  of  a 
thing  was  that  that  bit,  scratched,  butted,  pounded,  tripped,  and  all 
the  while  skipped  about  with  such  marvelous  agility  that  violent 
hands  could  not  be  laid  on  him  at  all  ?  What  kind  of  a  thing  was 
it  that  did  all  this  while  emitting  no  sound,  and  that  was  likewise 
soft,  cold,  slippery,  and  smooth  upon  the  surface?  It  was  not 
shaggy.  It  was  not  a  wild  beast.  It  was  not  a  sea  lion  escaped 
from  a  menagerie.  It  could  not  be  a  snake  skipping  about  in  this 
mad  fashion.  "  Py  Apraham  und  te  prophets*  vot  is  it  ?  "  ex 
claimed  the  mystified  old  gentleman  to  himself,  but,  mind  you, 
altogether  to  himself,  for  he  spake  no  word  above  his  breath. 

I  remarked  a  few  sentences  back  that  good  liquor  taken  in  gen 
tlemanly  doses  had  a  tendency  to  elevate  the  soul  and  infuse  manly 
courage  into  the  human  breast.  I  have  been  likewise  informed  by 
those  who  claim 'to  speak  from  experience  that  it  will  make  the 
best  man  in  the  world  a  little  unsteady  upon  his  pins.  However 
proudly  he  may  carry  himself,  and  howsoever  confident  he  may  be 
of  his  ability  to  achieve  wonders,  there  is  always  danger  that  he 
will  find  at  the  critical  moment  his  lower  limbs  not  readily  respon 
sive  to  his  will,  so  that  it  behooves  him  at  all  times  to  bear  in  mind 
the  scriptural  injunction,  "  Let  him  that  standeth  beware  lest  he 
fall."  Now  our  worthy  friend — known  to  the  Kinchen  family  as 
"  de  little  ole  white  man  " — had  been  considerably  emboldened  by 
the  strong  waters  that  had  gone  into  his  stomach,  and  had  thus 
been  induced  to  do  battle  manfully  against  unknown  creatures  in 
the  dark,  but  he  did  not  possess  perhaps  quite  that  agility  which 
he  might  have  displayed  if  his  head  and  heart  had  both  remained 
entirely  cool.  He  fought  with  more  vigor,  but  without  that  discre 
tion  he  would  otherwise  have  exercised  when  contending  against 
shifty  foemen.  It  therefore  came  to  pass  that  when  at  a  certain 
stage  of  the  combat  Pete  Kinchen  with  his  heel  knocked  one  of  his 
feet  forward,  and  Jineral  Beauregard  at  the  same  moment  by  hard 
tugging  pulled  the  other  backward,  the  old  gentleman  was  thrown 
from  his  balance  and  fell,  considerably  to  his  own  surprise,  flat 
of  his  back  upon  the  ground.  No  sooner  had  he  sustained  this 
serious  reverse  than  Pete  Kinchen  boarded  him  and  began  feeling 
for  his  neck  with  the  evident  intention  of  throttling  him,  and  at 
the  same  instant  Jineral  Beauregard  released  the  hold  he  had  so 
long  maintained  upon  his  trousers  leg  and  sprang  upon  him  as  if 
he  had  been  a  coon  just  dropped  to  earth  from  the  limb  of  a  tree. 
If  these,  two  zealous  coadjutors  counted,  however  on  making  a 


Terrific  Combat  in  the  Cavern.  321 

finish  of  their  prostrate  enemy  there  and  then,  they  reckoned 
without  their  host.  De  little  ole  white  man  was  wiry  and  muscu 
lar,  and  had  no  notion  of  ending  his  existence  ingloriously  in  the 
black  depths  of  a  cavern,  and  at  the  instance  of  two  such  foes  as 
he  found  himself  pitted  against.  Hardly  had  he  measured  his 
length  upon  the  ground  and  felt  Pete's  clutch  about  his  windpipe, 
before,  with  vigorous  effort  of  both  arms  and  legs,  he  hurled  into 
( outer  darkness  the  creatures  that  had  been  atop  of  him,  and, 
springing  nimbly  to  his  feet,  ran  swiftly  toward  his  private  apart 
ment  not  very  far  off  in  the  cavern. 

No  sooner  had  de  little  ole  white  man  deserted  the  field  and 
turned  his  back  ingloriously  upon  the  enemy,  than  was  demon 
strated  in  those  who  had  made  a  combined  assault  upon  him  the 
difference  between  instinct  and  reason.  Peter  Kinchen,  being 
mentally  able  to  weigh  facts  and  draw  conclusions,  did  not  believe 
that  de  little  ole  white  man  was  fleeing  in  terror,  but  rather  that  his 
purpose  in  retiring  so  speedily  was  to  arm  himself  and  renew  the 
combat  with  deadly  weapons.  He  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  old  gen 
tleman  set  out,  took  to  his  own  heels  in  the  opposite  direction  and 
endeavored  to  widen  the  distance  between  them  as  rapidly  as  pos 
sible.  Jineral  Beauregard,  however,  being  incapable  of  balancing 
probabilities  in  his  narrower  mind,  followed  blind  instinct  and 
gave  chase  as  soon  as  he  found  the  object  of  his  fury  was  endeav 
oring  to  escape. 

Pete  Kinchen  did  not  rush  forward  with  reckless  speed,  but, 
keeping  his  left  hand  always  in  touch  with  that  side  of  the  cavern, 
he  made  all  the  haste  possible,  and  did  not  even  slacken  his  gait 
when  his  feet  and  bare  legs  became  submerged  in  the  swift  current 
of  the  stream.  He  went  on — plunging  down  the  current  in  the 
darkness — and  had  turned  the  first  decided  curve  when  he  heard 
the  sharp  report  of  a  pistol  ringing  through  all  the  narrow  corri 
dors  of  the  cavern.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  Pete  Kinchen 
heard  another  sound  that  brought  him  to  a  halt  at  once  and  caused 
his  heart  to  give  a  great  leap  in  his  bosom.  It  was  the  agonized 
cry  of  a  dog,  and  that  dog  he  knew  was  Jineral  Beauregard. 

Promptly  the  lad  turned  back  and  waded  upstream  again  until 
he  reached  the  sandy  bottom  of  the  dry  passage.  Here  he  waited 
a  long  time,  but  not  the  slightest  sound  of  any  kind  fell  on  his  ear. 
Once  or  twice  he  whistled  very  softly  to  notify  the  little  dog  he  was 
in  waiting,  but  his  faithful  companion  did  not  respond,  Then  the 
truth  forced  itself  home  on  the  mind  of  the  child,  and  he  bowed 


322  The  K.  K.  K. 

his  head  and  wept  bitterly,  but  in  silence.  His  dog  was  dead.  The 
trusty  little  fellow,  he  knew,  would  not  have  uttered  a  sound  had 
not  the  cruel  bullet  forced  a  cry  of  anguish  from  him ;  and  even 
then  had  life  been  spared  he  would  have  crawled  down  the  dark 
passage  to  the  water's  edge,  to  join  there  the  companion  whose 
kindly  signal  had  summoned  him.  His  dog  was  dead.  The  com 
rade  of  many  a  tramp  through  field  and  wood,  his  closest  friend 
and  playmate,  he  would  see  no  more. 

Turning  his  steps  again  downstream  the  boy,  with  choking  sobs 
and  scarcely  conscious  of  whither  he  was  going,  took  his  way 
through  the  winding  channel  and  reached  the  spot  where  he  had 
left  his  clothing.  Hastily  he  resumed  his  two  or  three  garments 
and  passed  onward  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave  and  thence  down  the 
declivity  to  the  road  that  ran  beyond.  As  he  went  his  grief  over 
mastered  him,  and,  unable  to  restrain  himself,  he  quickened  his 
pace  and  ran,  sobbing  and  crying  aloud,  a  long  way  Then  he 
halted  and  sat  down  by  the  root  of  a  large  tree,  where  he  and  the 
dog  had  rested  more  than  once  before.  Against  this  he  leaned  his 
head,  having  no  heart  to  rise  and  go  further.  His  burst  of  grief 
was  over,  but  broken  sobs  again  and  again  escaped  him  as  he  re 
clined  his  head  against  the  rough  bark  of  the  tree  and  bent  his 
heavy  eyes  aimlessly  into  the  shadows  of  the  night. 

In  one  of  the  most  pathetic  passages  of  holy  writ  we  are  told 
that  when  the  Saviour  of  mankind  sought  a  few  of  his  compan 
ions  at  the  darkest  period  of  their  cheerless  lives  He  found  them 
sleeping  for  sorrow.  It  is  a  blessed  provision  of  our  frail  nature 
that  whenever  in  the  hour  of  some  great  trouble  keen  misery  holds 
and  racks  us  beyond  the  power  of  human  endurance,  our  over 
wrought  faculties  at  last  find  relief  in  slumber.  Out  in  the  lonely 
wood,  stretched  now  upon  the  bare,  cold  earth,  and  wrestling  with 
his  grief,  the  negro  boy  fell  asleep.  In  his  troubled  dreams  a  sense 
of  misery  haunted  him  for  a  long  while,  and  from  time  to  time  a 
broken  sob  escaped  him  as  he  lay.  Then  deep  slumber  banished 
even  this  lingering  phantom  of  the  mind,  and  with  all  his  senses 
locked  fast  from  the  outer  world,  sunk  in  complete  unconscious 
ness,  he  slept  a  blissful  sleep. 


How  a  Young  Lady  TOOK  a  Horseback  Ride.   323 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

WHICH  TELLS   HOW  A  YOUNG  LADY  TOOK  A   HORSEBACK  RIDE  AND 
MADE  A  MURDEROUS  ASSAULT  ON  A  POOR  OLD  BEGGAR. 

THE  sun  was  shining  high  in  the  heavens  when  the  lad  awoke 
next  morning.  As  he  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  about  him  the 
first  sharp  recollection  was  of  the  great  loss  he  had  sustained ;  the 
second  was  of  the  plan  he  had  heard  unfolded  in  the  cavern  to  mur 
der  Randolph  Pearson  on  that  very  night.  The  man  against  whom 
the  conspiracy  had  been  formed  was  in  St.  Louis,  and  was  to  be 
assassinated  that  night  on  his  ride  homeward  from  the  depot  at  the 
foot  of  the  ridge.  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  must  be  notified,  and  that 
without  a  moment's  delay,  for  there  was  barely  time  now  to  send 
a  messenger  to  the  depot  in  time  to  warn  Pearson  of  his  danger. 

The  boy  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  without  stopping  anywhere 
upon  the  road  to  get  a  morsel  to  stay  his  hunger,  made  all  possible 
speed  toward  the  farmhouse  where  he  expected  to  find  the  young 
lady  who  was  to  be  intrusted  with  his  startling  communication. 
When  he  reached  the  place  it  was  past  noon,  and  the  child,  worn 
with  grief  and  excitement,  and  faint  from  hunger  and  long  travel, 
was  almost  exhausted.  Sue  Bascombe  would  not  permit  him  to 
talk  until  he  had  taken  some  nourishment,  and  then  she  examined 
and  cross-examined  him  on  his  remarkable  experience  the  night 
before  in  the  cavern.  He  told  a  plain  unvarnished  tale  that  carried 
conviction  with  it,  and  the  girl  lost  not  a  moment  in  considering 
what  should  be  done  in  the  emergency  that  confronted  her.  She 
ordered  her  horse,  Dandy  Jim,  to  be  saddled  at  once  and  brought 
round  to  the  gate.  While  this  order  was  being  obeyed  she  donned 
her  riding-skirt  and  hat  and  wrote  a  short  note  to  Teddy  Mclntosh, 
asking  him  to  join  her  without  delay  at  Baker's  Station,  near  the 
foot  of  the  ridge.  These  preliminaries  hurriedly  dispensed  with 
she  took  her  seat  in  the  saddle  and  turned  her  horse's  head  toward 
Baker's  depot.  The  afternoon  was  now  considerably  advanced, 
and  the  place  she  wished  to  reach  was  fifteen  miles  away. 


324  The  K.  K.  K. 

The  girl  rode  rapidly,  knowing  that  night  would  certainly 
overtake  her  before  she  reached  her  destination  and  wishing  to 
cover  as  much  of  the  distance  by  daylight  as  possible.  There  was 
time  enough  to  catch  the  train,  for  it  was  not  due  at  the  depot 
until  after  seven  o'clock,  nearly  four  hours  from  the  time  at 
which  she  left  home.  One  circumstance,  however,  delayed  her  and 
caused  her  considerable  apprehension  before  she  completed  her 
journey.  She  knew  the  main  route  well,  for  she  had  traveled  it 
often,  but  now  she  was  compelled  to  leave  this  road  and  travel  a 
more  circuitous  one,  to  avoid  passing  the  spot  where  she  knew  the 
negro  was  lying  in  wait  to  murder  Pearson.  At  first  her  determi 
nation  was  to  ride  boldly  by  this  place,  trusting  that  the  assassin, 
having  no  motive  for  disturbing  her,  would  suffer  her  to  pass  un 
molested.  She  carried  in  her  bosom  the  trusty  little  Smith  &  Wes 
son  pistol  which  Lawyer  Slowboy  had  returned  to  her  after  his  ex 
citing  experience  with  the  hobgoblins,  and  thus  felt  able  to  defend 
herself  even  in  case  she  was  halted  on  the  way  by  any  one  with  evil 
intent.  As  she  galloped,  however,  in  the  fast  declining  day  along 
the  first  half  of  her  route  she  reflected  that  the  negro  would  almost 
certajnly  recognize  her  as  she  passed  his  place  of  hiding  and  would 
divine  her  motive  in  traveling  alone  to  the  depot  at  that  particular 
time.  He  might  undertake  to  stop  her  bodily,  or,  still  more  prob 
able,  he  might  shoot  her  from  his  place  of  concealment,  and  thus 
frustrate  her  purpose  to  notify  Pearson.  She,  therefore,  turned 
aside,  before  she  reached  this  spot  and  took  a  less-  frequented  route, 
which  she  had  never  traveled  before.  Night  was  now  approaching, 
the  evening  was  cloudy,  anjd  she  was  compelled  to  stop  at  several 
farmhouses  by  the  roadside  to  inquire  the  way.  Her  purpose  had 
been  simply  to  make  a  circuit  around  the  spot  where  the  negro  lay 
concealed  and  get  back  into  the  main  highway  again  after  going 
a  short  distance,  but  this,  in  consequence  of  intervening  woods  and 
fences,  she  could  not  do.  She  pursued  her  way  through  narrow 
lanes,  stopping  often  to  make  inquiries,  and  losing,  as  she  knew, 
valuable  time  in  doing  so.  She  thought  seriously  at  this  stage  of 
her  journey  of  taking  some  of  the  white  people  along  the  road  into 
her  confidence  and  having  the  negro  arrested  before  he  could  carry 
out  his  purpose,  but  this  plan  she  soon  dismissed  as  not  feasible. 
She  was  among  strangers,  and  while  she  wasted  time  in  the  effort 
to  have  the  assassin  apprehended  Pearson  might  leave  the 
depot  and  reach  the  spot  chosen  for  his  murder.  The 
best  plan  was  to  intercept  and  warn  him,  and  then  to 


How  a  Young  Lady  Took  a  Horseback  Ride    325 

take  steps  for  the  arrest  not  only  of  the  negro  who 
was  lying  in  wait,  but  of  the  villainous  old  white  man  who 
was  the  guiltier  of  the  two  conspirators.  So  concluding  she 
urged  her  horse  onward,  made  her  inquiries  as  few  as  possible 
and  always  to  the  point,  and  anxiously  bent  her  efforts  toward 
reaching  Baker  Station  before  the  arrival  of  the  down  train.  For 
tunately  as  she  blundered  along  in  an  unknown  section  of  country 
she  encountered  an  old  negro  in  the  road,  and  for  the  remuneration 
of  twenty-five  cents  induced  him  to  pilot  her  back  into  the  main 
highway  which  she  had  left.  This  he  did  by  the  expeditious 
method  of  taking  down  fences,  crossing  new  plowed  fields,  and 
conducting  her  through  thick  woods  where  she  had  to  lie  almost 
flat  to  keep  from  being  swept  from  the  saddle.  It  was  best  in  the 
end,  however,  for  when  she  had  thus  forged  ahead  slowly  for  the 
better  part  of  an  hour  she  was  once  more  in  the  road  she  had  left, 
and  could  hasten  on  to  the  end  of  her  journey. 

"  I  ain't  gwy  ax  you  what  business  you  got  out  at  dis  time  o* 
night  by  yourself,"  said  the  old  man  as  he  took  the  quarter,  "  but 
I'm  gwy  say  de  rule  in  dese  parts  is  for  de  gentleman  to  do  de 
ridin'  and  de  lady  to  set  up  in  de  parlor  and  wait  for  him.  Ef 
you're  runnin'  away  to  git  married — which  I  knows  you  is — you 
must  have  a  mighty  pokey  young  man  for  a  beau,  or  he'd  a  gone 
atter  you  and  tuck  you  to  de  squire's  house.  Dat's  de  way  for 
a  young  gentleman  to  act,  mistiss,  and  you  mustn't  git  mad  at  my 
tellin'  you  so." 

Sue  Bascombe  was  a  queer  girl.  She  neither  laughed  at  nor 
resented  the  old  negro's  well-meant  advice.  "  Uncle,"  she  re 
plied  quietly,  as  she  fixed  her  skirts  for  a  rapid  gallop,  "  I  say  to 
you  in  confidence  that  I  think  you're  exactly  right  about  this 
matter.  The  man  I'm  hunting  is  a  little  pokey,  but  I'm  going  after 
him  all  the  same.  In.  these  times  a  girl  must  do  the  best  she  can, 
you  know."  Whereupon  she  gave  Dandy  Jim  a  keen  cut  with  the 
whip  and  left  her  guide  without  another  word. 

"  Dat's  a  cur'ous  gal  as  ever  I  seed,"  remarked  the  old  negro  to 
himself  as  the  damsel  ran  away  from  him  at  almost  break-neck 
speed. 

As  she  hurried  onward  she  wondered  if  Teddy  Mclntosh  was  not 
ahead  of  her.  If  he  got  her  message  promptly  he  would  lose  no 
time  in  setting  forward  upon  her  track,  and  perhaps  by  this  time 
had  already  reached  the  depot.  If  so  he  would  wonder  why  she 
was  not  there.  Thinking  of  Teddy  reminded  her  that  he  had  doubt- 


326  The  K,  K.  K. 

less  passed  the  place  where  the  negro  lay  concealed,  or  would  have 
to  pass  it  if  he  was  still  in  the  rear.  Would  any  effort  be  made  to 
assassinate  him  ?  She  thought  not,  for  Pearson  seemed  to  be  the 
special  object  of  hatred  on  the  part  of  the  old  white  man  who  had 
prompted  the  negro  to  murder.  If  the  negro  should  kill  somebody 
else  and  not  Pearson,  he  would  defeat  the  purpose  his  principal 
had  in  view.  At  any  rate,  she  had  not  the  ght  to  warn  Mclntosh 
against  passing  the  spot;  could  not  well  have  done  so  in  a  note 
without  going  into  explanations  that  could  not  be  intrusted  to 
paper.  Teddy,  she  persuaded  herself,  would  get  through  all  right. 
She  would  either  find  him  at  the  station  house  or  he  would  get 
there  soon  after  she  reached  the  place.  She  had  no  watch,  but  she 
knew  it  was  now  about  train  time.  She  was  near  enough  to  the 
station,  however,  to  have  heard  the  whistle  if  the  locomotive  had 
stopped  there,  and  the  sound  had  not  yet  reached  her  ear.  She  had 
not  heard  the  engine  whistle  for  the  top  of  the  ridge,  and  she  knew 
some  minutes  must  elapse  after  it  started  on  the  down  grade  before 
it  reached  Baker  Station  below.  She  hurried  on,  therefore,  confi 
dent  that  she  was  not  too  late,  but  feeling  the  importance  of  wast 
ing  not  a  moment's  time,  and  presently  as  she  reached  the  summit 
of  a  hill  was  cheered  by  the  twinkle  of  a  light  at  the  station. 

She  set  forth  down  the  declivity  at  a  brisk  canter.  The  timber 
had  been  cleared  away  near  the  summit,  and  she  could  see  fairly 
well  down  the  road  ahead  of  her.  When  Dandy  Jim  had  galloped 
a  short  way  he  suddenly  shied,  and  the  girl  saw  a  man  standing 
on  the  side  of  the  road.  He  was  undersized  and  held  a  long  cane 
or  walking  stick  in  his  hand.  This  figure  now  advanced  slowly 
into  the  center  of  the  highway,  and,  grasping  his  long  stick  in  his 
left  hand,  held  the  right  out  in  a  supplicating  manner. 

"  'Elp  te  poor  plind  man,"  said  the  beggar  in  a  whining  tone. 
"  'Elp  te  plind  man,  for  te  luff  uff  Cot." 

"  I  have  nothing  for  you,"  replied  the  girl.  "  Stand  aside  and 
let  me  pass." 

The  beggar  kept  his  place  in  the  center  of  the  highway  and  still 
held  out  his  hand.  "  'Elp  te  plind  man,"  he  cried  piteously.  "  'Elp 
te  plind  man,  laty." 

"  How  do  you  know  it's  a  lady  before  you  ?  "  asked  Sue  Bas- 
combe,  for  she  greatly  distrusted  the  whining  beggar. 

"  Ah,  mine  Cot,  te  sweet  voice;  te  sweet  voice." 

Sue  Bascombe  tightened  the  bridle  rein  in  her  hand  and  drew 
her  horse  back  a  few  steps.  She  eyed  the  supplicating  figure 


How  a  Young  Lady  Took  a  Horseback  Ride.    327 

as  best  she  could  in  the  misty  light.  His  head  was  bent  low ;  he 
seemed  to  grope  his  way  as  he  proceeded,  but  he  advanced  now 
slowly  toward  her  with  his  right  hand  extended. 

"  'Elp,  for  te  luff  uff  Cot.  'Elp,  for  te  luff  uff  Cot,"  cried  the 
blind  man  piteously,  as  he  tottered  toward  her. 

She  gave  the  rein  a  sudden  jerk,  and  the  horse  backed  a  few 
steps  up  the  hill.  The  blind  man  still  advanced,  groping  his  way. 
1  'Elp,  for  te  luff  uff  Cot.  'Elp,  for  te  luff  uff  Cot,"  he  cried 
more  beseechingly. 

"  Stand  back,"  said  the  girl  firmly.    "  Stand  back,  I  tell  you." 

"  'Elp  te  plind  man,  laty.    'Elp  te  plind  man,  laty." 

"  Stand  back,  I  tell  you." 

She  reined  her  horse  back  a  second  time,  and  he  followed  her 
more  rapidly.  His  right  hand  was  still  extended.  Was  it  to 
solicit  alms  or  was  it  to  seize  her  bridle  rein  ? 

"  'Elp  te  plind  man." 

"  Stand  back." 

;'  'Elp  te  plind " 

The  girl  drew  a  pisol  from  her  bosom,  pointed  it  toward  him 
and  without  a  moment's  hesitation  pulled  the  trigger.  There  was  a 
flash,  a  loud  report,  and  the  beggar  dropped  his  stick  and  fell  to 
the  earth.  He  was  not  killed,  however,  for  he  immediately  tried  to 
rise  again,  and  made,  as  Sue  Bascombe  thought,  a  suspicious  move 
ment  with  his  right  hand  toward  his  hip  pocket. 

"  Let  that  pistol  alone,"  said  the  girl  calmly.  "If  you  try  to 
draw  it  here  I'll  finish  you." 

"  Ah,  mine  Cot,  mine  Cot,"  cried  the  beggar  extending  himself 
upon  the  ground.  "  Vot  a  country,  vot  a  beoples." 

Fortunately  at  this  stage  of  the  game  Sue  Bascombe  heard  the 
sound  of  a  horse's  feet  on  the  road  behind  her.  She  held  her 
weapon  on  the  prostrate  man  and  waited  for  the  rider  to 
approach.  She  hoped  it  would  prove  to  be  Teddy  Mclntosh  has 
tening  to  join  her  at  the  station,  and  when  the  horseman  drew 
near  she  found  it  was  Teddy. 

"  What's  up  ?  "  inquired  that  impetuous  youth,  who  had  heard 
the  pistol  shot,  and  now  found  the  young  lady  halted  upon  the 
highway. 

"  I'm  afraid  I've  done  something  desperate,  Teddy,"  replied 
Miss  Bascombe. 

"  What's  that?" 

"  I  believe  I've  killed  a  man." 


328  The  K.  K.  K. 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  I  don't  know.     He  pretends  to  be  a  beggar  and  maybe  he 

""What  did  he  do?" 

"  He  kept  coming  toward  me.  I  ordered  him  to  halt,  and  he 
didn't." 

The  blind  man  lay  in  the  road  and  groaned  dismally. 

"  He  ain't  dead,"  said  Teddy  Mclntosh.  "  You  say  you  don't 
know  him  ?  " 

"  I  do  not,"  replied  the  girl.     "  Never  met  him  before." 

"  He  didn't  know  you  either,"  said  Teddy,  "  or  he  would  have 
stopped  when  you  told  him."  After  which  significant  remark  he 
dismounted,  gave  his  bridle  rein  to  the  young  lady  and  went  to 
examine  the  prostrate  man. 

The  beggar  lay  in  the  road,  drawing  his  breath  painfully,  and 
occasionally  heaving  a  deep  groan. 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  inquired  Mclntosh,  stooping  down  and  peer 
ing  into  his  face. 

"  A  plind  man,"  said  the  other  in  piteous  tones.  "  Plind  and 
lame ;  plind  and  lame,  mine  frient.  Te  laty  haff  shot  a  plind  man. 
Mine  Cot,  a  poor  plind  man." 

"  Look  for  his  pistol,  Teddy,"  interjected  Miss  Bascombe.  "  I 
believe  he  has  one." 

Teddy  Mclntosh  examined,  and  sure  enough  found  a  pistol  in 
the  hip  pocket  of  the  beggar.  "  What  are  you  doing  with  this?  " 
he  inquired  rather  sternly  of  the  wounded  man. 

"  Ah,  mine  Cot,  effry  dog  parks  at  te  lame  peggar ;  te  plind 
lame  peggar." 

"  Take  it  away  from  him,  Teddy,'"  commanded  the  young 
lady,  and  Teddy  put  the  weapon  in  his  own  pocket. 

The  wounded  man  breathed  now  with  much  more  difficulty, 
and  apparently  was  sinking  fast.  "  Hold  me  up,  mine  frient/' 
he  said  to  Mclntosh  beseechingly.  "  For  Cot's  sake,  raise  me  up 
a  leetle  vile." 

Mclntosh  complied  with  the  request,  lifting  the  wounded  man's 
head  and  shoulders  from  the  ground. 

"  I  veel  a  leetle  petter,"  said  the  blind  man  faintly.  "  Vot  ish 
dis  ?  Voo  ish  dis  apout  me  ?  Is  tis  mine  prudder  Shacob  ?  " 

"  I  am  a  stranger,"  replied  Teddy  Mclntotsh,  "  but  I  will  take 
care  of  you  the  best  I  can.*  I  am  sorry  the  accident  occurred." 

"  'Tis  pity,  'tis  pity,"  said  the  blind  man.     "  But,  mine  frient, 


How  a  Young  Lady  Took  a  Horseback  Ride.    329 

vot  for  I  zay  'tis  pity.  For  te  rich  and  broud  to  pass  avay  'tis 
pity;  but  for  te  poor  plind  man  to  leafe  tis  vicked  vorld  'tis  no 
pity.  I  vill  now  leafe  you,  mine  frients,  and  I  leafe  mine  plessing 
behint  me.  Te  plind,  lame  peggar  vill  peg  no  more  in  tis  vicked 
vorld.  Coot  py,  effrypody." 

"  I  believe  the  old  man's  going  sure  enough,"  said  Mclntosh. 
"  I  can  hardly  hold  him  up." 

"  Lay  him  down  as  easily  as  you  can,"  replied  Sue  Bascombe, 
who  was  evidently  deeply  moved  by  the  reflection  that  she  had 
taken  the  old  man's  life. 

"  Hold  me  a  leetle  vile,"  said  the  old  beggar  gently — "  a  leetle 
vile,  mine  frients;  shust  a  leetle  vile.  It  ish  no  matter.  Te 
coot  laty  made  a  mishtake ;  tat  vas  all.  Zay  to  te  vorld  dat  I  do 
forgiff  de  coot  laty  for  de  mishtake  vot  she  haff  made.  Ah, 
mine  Cot,  shust  now  I  vos  unkery  and  pegged  for  pread.  Zoon 
I  vill  pe  unkery  no  more.  To  shoot  a  plind,  lame  peggar;  'tis 
small  matter,  mine  frient,  and  I  pray  you  vill  tink  notting  uff  it." 

"  Hold  him  up,  Teddy,  as  long  as  you  can,"  said  Miss  Bas 
combe.  "  I'm  sorry  I  shot  him." 

"  Hold  me  a  leetle  vile,"  said  the  old  man  faintly.  "  Ten  lay 
me  town  for  coot  and  all.  Mine  frients,  I  haff  a  vord  for  you. 
Ven  you  meet  te  poor  plind  man  upon  de  road,  unkery  and  cold, 
do  not  shute  him,  mine  frients,  but  giff  him  pread.  Dat  ish 
pizness.  Tell  mine  prudder  Shacob  I  vos  shot  for  nutting,  and 
I  leafe  mine  plessing  upon  all  de  vorld  pehint  me.  Ven  I  am  gone 
avay  put  von  leetle  gravestone  at  my  'ead,  and  write  on  dis  dat 
de  coot  laty  zhot  te  poor  plind  peggar  for  nutting,  and  de  poor 
plind  peggar  did  forgiff  her  for  his  murter.  Ah,  mine  thrue 
frients,  hold  me  up  no  furter.  Shust  lay  me  town  and  let  me 
leafe  dis  vicked  vorld.  Coot  py,  mine  prudder  Shacob.  Coot 
py,  effrypody." 

"  Lay  him  down,  Teddy,"  said  Miss  Bascombe  gently,  "  and 
run  for  the  doctor." 

"  I  believe  the  old  fellow  is  gone,"  exclaimed  Teddy  Mclntosh. 
The  blind  beggar  had  stretched  himself  at  full  length  upon  the 
earth,  and  after  a  deep  groan  remained  perfectly  quiet. 

"  Run  for  the  doctor,  Teddy,"  repeated  the  young  lady. 

"  Must  I  leave  you  here  ?  " 

"  Why  certainly.     You  found  me  here." 

Teddy  Mclntosh  took  the  bridle  rein  of  his  horse  from  the 
girl's  hand  and  mounted  the  animal  in  haste. 


330  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  This  is  a  bad  business,"  he  said  to  Sue  as  he  was  about  to  set 
off. 

"  I  am  afraid  so,  but  it  can't  be  helped  now,"  replied  the  girl. 
"  You  go  to  the  depot  yonder,  Teddy,  and  leave  word  for  Ran 
Pearson  to  come  on  here  as  soon  as  he  gets  off  the  train.  Then 
you  fetch  a  doctor,  Teddy,  right  away.  I'll  stay  here  till  you  get 
back." 

"  A  doctor  can't  help  the  old  man,  but  I'm  off,"  replied  Teddy 
Mclntosh,  and  he  immediately  made  good  his  assertion  by 
setting  forward  at  a  rapid  gait  down  the  hill  toward  the  depot. 

The  blind  beggar  lay  in  the  road  perfectly  still.  The  dim  out 
lines  of  his  figure  were  visible  to  the  girl,  who  sat  on  horseback  a 
few  yards  away.  She  was  perfectly  still,  of  course,  for  there  was 
no  one  to  talk  to,  and  Sue  Bascombe  was  not  in  a  talkative  mood. 
To  stand  guard  over  a  corpse  is  a  serious  business ;  and  if  the  sen 
tinel  is  solely  responsible  for  the  presence  of  the  corpse  it  is  a  very 
serious  business.  The  stars  looked  down  frostily  from  above,  and 
their  pale  shimmer  gave  to  every  object  around  a  ghostly  appear 
ance.  The  clatter  of  the  horse  galloping  away  could  be  heard 
almost  to  the  depot,  and  the  noise,  as  long  as  she  could  distinguish 
it,  made  the  girl  feel  a  little  less  lonely.  Now  she  heard  the 
whistle  of  the  engine  and  the  rumble  of  the  train  at  Ridgetop, 
and  knew  in  a  few  minutes  more  it  would  come  to  a  halt  at  Baker's 
three  miles  below.  Dandy  Jim  fidgeted  about  a  little  in  the  road, 
but  the  girl  sat  immovable  in  the  saddle.  She  slipped  the  pistol 
back  into  her  bosom  and  tied  a  handkerchief  about  her  throat,  for 
it  was  getting  chilly.  The  blind  beggar  lay  motionless  in  the  road, 
and  she  concluded,  with  Teddy  Mclntosh,  that  the  doctor  would 
avail  nothing  when  he  came.  A  prowling  dog  came  trotting  down 
the  road  and  began  to  sniff  at  the  corpse,  but  at  the  sharp  com 
mand  of  the  girl  he  ran  away.  With  almost  a  steady  roar  the 
train  rolled  down  around  the  dangerous  curves  of  the  ridge,  and 
she  heard  first  the  whistle  and  then  the  bell  proclaiming  the  stop 
at  Baker  Station. 

Sue  Bascombe  heard  these  sounds,  and  calculated  that  in  fifteen 
minutes,  or  less  time,  Teddy  Mclntosh,  and  probably  Pearson, 
would  arrive  and  relieve  her  from  duty.  She  sat  motionless  on 
the  back  of  her  horse  and  anxiously  awaited  their  approach. 
She  was  growing  now  a  little  nervous,  for  the  dead  man  was  un 
pleasant  company.  She  did  not  look  at  him  as  he  lay  in  the  road. 
She  looked  persistently  over  him  and  to  objects  far  beyond,  but 
she  knew  he  was  there  just  the  same. 


How  a  Young  Lady  Took  a  Horseback  Ride.    331 

Suddenly  an  incident  occurred  so  surprising  in  its  nature  that 
it  gave  the  young  lady  quite  a  shock,  though  as  a  rule  she  wasn't 
an  easy  girl  to  shock.  As  she  looked  above  the  tree  tops  and 
strained  her  ears  to  catch  the  sound  of  approaching  horsemen, 
the  dead  man  suddenly  jumped  up  from  the  middle  of  the  road 
and  ran  away.  He  ran  swiftly,  and  in  zig-zag  fashion,  so  that 
in  the  misty  light  it  was  difficult  to  get  a  crack  at  him ;  but  Miss 
Bascombe  did  pull  her  pistol  promptly,  and  drew  trigger  with 
little  expectation — let  us  hope — of  striking  the  fugitive.  She 
fired  once,  she  fired  twice;  she  took  pretty  good  aim  at  the 
shadowy  figure  darting  down  hill  like  a  rabbit  and  fired  a  third 
time.  Then  she  lifted  her  voice — for  Sue  Bascombe  was  a  queer 
girl — and  gave  a  shrill  yell  all  by  herself  up  there  on  the  hill.  The 
blind  beggar  from  a  position  he  now  deemed  secure  replied  loudly 
in  broken  English,  and  in  terms  the  reverse  of  complimentary.  At 
this  Miss  Sue  Bascombe  fell  into  a  fit  of  boisterous  laughter,  all 
by  herself  up  there  on  the  hill. 

Pretty  soon  under  whip  and  spur  back  rode  Teddy  Mclntosh, 
with  Mr.  Ran  Pearson  close  behind  him. 

"  Name  o'  common  sense,"  cried  Teddy  in  great  astonishment. 
"  What — what — what's  up  ? "  for  he  had  heard,  mind  you, 
the  pistol  shots,  the  yell,  and  then  the  laughter. 

"  Oh,  nothing,"  replied  Miss  Bascombe.  "  The  dead  man  has 
run  away,  Teddy,  that's  all." 

"  Well,  I  will  be "  began  Teddy. 

"  Ahem,"  interjected  Miss  Bascombe. 

"  Confound  the  luck,"  cried  Teddy,  having  not  yet  overcome 
his  astonishment.  "  The  old  scoundrel  took  to  his  heels,  you 
say?" 

"  That's  what  he  did,"  replied  the  young  lady.  "  And,  Teddy, 
considering  the  fact  that  he  was  blind,  lame,  and  a  dead  man, 
he  ran  remarkably  well." 

Mclntosh  at  this  remained  silent,  having  fallen  into  a  sort  of 
brown  study. 

"  And,  Teddy,"  pursued  the  young  lady,  "  I'm  very  glad  you 
took  his  pistol  away  from  him.  Otherwise " 

"  Otherwise  what  ?  "  inquired  the  young  gentleman. 

"  Otherwise,"  said  Miss  Bascombe,  "  I  think  you  would  have 
found  a  dead  girl  up  here  on  the  hill  and  the  old  scoundrel 
missing,  as  he  is  now." 

Then  the  three  sat  on  their  horses  in  the  highway  and  held  a 


332  The.  K.  K.  K. 

council  of  war.  The  conclusion  was  unanimously  reached  that 
the  blind  beggar  was  the  shifty  individual  known  to  those  present 
as  the  father  of  Cross-eyed  Jack;  and  known  to  Patsy  Kinchen's 
household  as  "  de  little  ole  white  man."  Sue  Bascombe  declared 
she  had  suspected  as  much  when  she  shot  him,  but  his  subsequent 
behavior  had  led  her  for  the  moment  astray.  His  motive  for 
being  out  on  the  highway  was  perhaps  to  notify  his  confederate, 
by  some  agreed  signal,  that  Pearson  was  on  the  road  to  the  spot 
selected  for  his  assassination.  When  Sue  Bascombe  came  riding 
rapidly  in  the  night  toward  Baker  Station  he  divined  her  pur 
pose  and  determined  to  frustrate  her  effort  to  warn  Pearson. 

"  He  was  frightened  away  from  Crawfish  Cave,"  said  Sue  Bas 
combe,  "  by  a  dreadful  fight  he  had  there  last  night  in  the  dark 
with  Pete  Kinchen.  At  least  I  reckon  the  place  was  too  lonesome 
for  him  after  his  experience."  Then  she  narrated  hurriedly  what 
Pete  had  told  her,  thus  explaining  the  fact  of  her  dwn  presence 
now  on  the  road  to  Baker  Station. 

"  And  I  think  I  can  tell  you,"  said  Teddy  Mcintosh,  "  why  the 
old  man  was  so  anxious  to  put  Pearson  out  of  the  way  right  now. 
They  are  going  to  have  a  special  term  of  the  court  down  at 
Coopertown,  to  try  Cross-eyed  Jack  over  again.  Nothing  would 
do  Palaver  but  that  another  hearing  should  be  had  right  away, 
and  the  judge  has  so  ordered.  The  prisoner  has  already  been 
taken  from  Nashville  and  lodged  in  the  Coopertown  jail ;  and  the 
subpoenas  are  out  for  the  witnesses  in  the  case.  Now,  it's  as  plain 
as  the  nose  on  a  man's  face  that  they  were  bent  on  murdering 
Ran  Pearson  at  once  to  keep  him  from  working  up  the  case  for 
the  prosecution,  as  he  did  before." 

Then  the  three  laid  their  heads  together  and  fell  upon  a  plan  by 
which  they  hoped  to  secure  the  person  of  the  negro,  Alabama  Sam, 
before  he  could  be  warned  that  there  was  danger  for  him  ahead. 
This  plan,  however,  failed,  for  when  an  hour  later  a  posse  reached 
the  spot  where  he  had  lain  hid,  they  found  abundant  evidence  of 
his  having  been  there,  but  him  they  discovered  not.  Miss  Sue 
Bascombe  lodged  that  night  at  a  farmhouse  near  by ;  and  the  next 
morning  she,  Mr.  Randolph  Pearson,  and  Mr.  Teddy  Mcintosh 
rode  like  good  friends,  as  they  were,  back  to  their  own  neighbor 
hood. 


A  Second  Trial  of  the  Ankerstrom  Case.      333 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

A  SECOND  TRIAL  OF  THE  ANKERSTROM  CASE  IN  THE  INFERIOR  COURT 

RESULTS    IN    A    HUNG   JURY LAWYER    PALAVER   TAKES   A   DRINK 

WITH  AN  AGREEABLE  YOUNG  GENTLEMAN. 

ON  the  very  next  day  an  expedition  was  formed,  with  Teddy 
Mclntosh  at  the  head,  for  the  more  thorough  exploration  of 
Crawfish  Cave.  Everybody  knew  where  the  cave  was.  Everybody 
knew  there  was  excehent  picnic  ground  at  the  wide  mouth,  and  a 
subterraneous  passage  extending  a  good  way  back,  along  which 
young  people  of  frolicksome  turn  frequently  trod  with  lighted 
candles.  Everybody  knew  this  much,  but  everybody  did  not  know 
that  good  fighting  ground  and  lodging  for  travelers  and 
stabling  for  horses  could  all  be  obtained  by  ascending  the  swift 
current  of  the  stream  that  filled  the  dark  channel  through  which 
it  ran  to  a  point  above  where  another  smooth,  dry  passage  opened 
up,  affording  abundant  room  for  all  these  purposes.  When 
Pete's  tale  got  abroad — and  it  was  all  over  the  neighborhood  by 
sunrise  next  morning — a  company  of  adventurous  youths  was 
speedily  formed  to  put  his  marvelous  story  to  the  test.  Teddy 
Mclntosh  elected  himself  captain  of  this  scouting  party,  and  he 
soon  had  at  his  heels  a  score  or  more  of  bold  followers  who  were 
resolved  to)  see  for  themselves  how  matters  stood  along  the  head 
waters  of  Crawfish  Creek.  When  this  party  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  cave  they  found  a  mixed  and  motley  crowd  assembled 
there,  all  eagerly  discussing  the  Kinchen  narrative,  and  all  ready 
to  venture  forward,  but  for  this  or  that  impediment  which  at  the 
moment  was  insuperable. 

The  Mclntosh  expedition,  being  composed  in  the  main  of  hardy 
youths,  made  its  way  through  this  promiscuous  assemblage  and 
disrobed  at  the  point  where  the  creek  came  rushing  down  through 
its  own  narrow  channel.  Each  man  tied  his  raiment  up  in  a  tight 
bundle,  which  was  fastened  securely  about  his  neck,  and  held  in 
his  hand  a  pistol  or  repeating  rifle,  which  w«is  to  be  carried  above 


334  The  K.  K.  K. 

his  head  when  the  advance  began.  Pete  Kinchen  had  been  among 
those  who  stood  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave  when  the  scouting  party 
came  up.  He  followed  this  party  back  into  the  interior,  and  while 
the  members  were  disrobing  made  a  suggestion  which  most  of 
them  thought  valuable. 

"  If  you  gen'lemun,"  said  Pete,  "  wade  up  dis  creek  wid  lan 
terns,  and  makin'  a  racket,  one  man  kin  shoot  down  fum  de  upper 
eend  and  kill  ev'y  last  one  of  ye." 

This  proposition  being  assented  to  by  all  present,  the  lad  ven 
tured  another  suggestion,  which  was  promptly  accepted  as  a  sen 
sible  one  by  Captain  Mclntosh  and  his  brave  men. 

"  I  kin  wade  up  dar  all  by  myself  in  de  dark,  makin'  no  more 
noise  dan  de  water  will  make  splashin'  gin  de  rocks.  Ef  I  don't 
come  back  pooty  soon  you  may  know  I'm  waitin'  for  you  on  de 
dry  ground  whar  me  and  de  ole  man  fit.  Ef  I  does  come  back  I 
kin  tell  you  what  'twas  dat  made  me  come  back." 

This  manly  proposition  not  only  elevated  Pete  in  the  estimation 
of  his  fellow  adventurers,  but  convinced  the  most  skeptical  that 
the  lad  had  not  fabricated  when  he  gave  an  account  of  his  previous 
journey  along  the  same  route.  Alone  and  in  the  dark,  therefore, 
Pete  Kinchen  set  out  upon  his  second  ascent  of  the  stream,  taking 
this  time  his  raiment  with  him,  to  be  donned  when  he  should  once 
more  set  foot  upon  dry  ground.  After  waiting  a  half  hour 
without  hearing  from  him  Captain  Mclntosh  concluded  he  had 
either  been  killed  outright  or  had  secured  a  footing  in  the  enemy's 
country  without  being  assailed,  and  as  the  latter  supposition  was 
the  most  probable  he  set  forward  with  his  band  up  the  creek. 

They  proceeded,  without  serious  adventure,  single  file  and  in 
dead  silence,  till  the  lantern  of  the  foremost  of  the  party  disclosed 
the  lad  standing  alone  on  dry  ground  just  ahead  of  them.  He 
had  clothed  himself  and  had  advanced  cautiously  as  far  as  the 
guest  chamber  without  discovering  any  sign  of  life  in  the  cavern. 
The  exploring  party,  when  this  intelligence  was  imparted,  went 
forward  with  less  apprehension  of  being  resisted,  but  still  with 
caution,  till  they  became  convinced  that  the  recent  occupants  had 
vacated  their  underground  abode.  They  entered  the  guest 
chamber  and  found  the  ashes  of  the  fire  around  which  Alabama 
Sam  and  de  little  ole  white  man  had  discussed  the  murder  of 
Pearson  while  Pete  was  eavesdropping  in  the  dark  passage 
without.  By  close  inspection  they  even  discovered  human  foot 
prints  in  the  cold  embers,  left  there  doubtless  by  the  old  gentle* 


A  Second  Trial  of  the  Ankerstrom  Case.       335 

man  in  his  effort  to  extinguish  the  last  spark  before  he  vacated  the 
premises,  though,  as  one  of  the  party  remarked,  there  wasn't  much 
danger  of  setting  his  house  on  fire.  The  floor  of  this  guest 
chamber  has  since  been  damaged  by  a  large  fragment  of  rock 
that  fell  from  the  ceiling  above  and  broke  into  two  or  three  pieces, 
but  at  the  time  Teddy  Mclntosh  and  his  band  visited  the  place  it 
was  smooth  enough  for  sure-footed  revelers  to  have  danced  a 
cotillion  upon. 

Continuing  their  search  the  explorers  found,  stuck  here  and 
there  in  crannies,  a  good  many  empty  bottles,  a  dirty  deck  of  cards, 
and  a  well-thumbed  copy  of  "  The  Life  and  Adventures  of  Jack 
Sheppard,"  which  Mr.  Hardrider  had  generously  left  for  the 
edification  of  any  future  occupant  of  the  cavern,  who,  like  himself, 
might  be  of  literary  turn.  They  discovered  also,  a  good  way  back 
in  the  cavern,  a  locked  tin  box,  containing  a  ham,  a  jar  of  pickles, 
a  few  tins  of  canned  goods,  several  loaves  of  bread,  and  a  quart 
bottle  of  whisky,  full  and  tightly  corked  These  supplies  had 
undoubtedly  been  secreted  for  the  accommodation  of  the  robbers, 
or  such  of  their  friends  as  might  find  it  expedient  at  any  future 
time  to  seek  shelter  in  the  cavern.  About  two  hundred  feet  beyond 
the  guest  chamber  was  the  place  where  the  horses  had  been 
stabled,  though  all  signs  of  its  having  been  put  to  such  use  had 
been  removed  as  carefully  as  possible.  One  of  the  party  measured 
the  width  of  the  cavern  at  this  point  by  stepping  across  it  at  the 
widest  place.  He  found  the  distance  to  be  a  little  more  than  thir 
teen  paces,  or,  by  estimation,  about  thirty-one  feet.  The  roof  at 
this  part  of  the  passage  was  considerably  higher  than  a  man's 
head. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  the  sympathetic  reader  has  not  forgotten  the 
little  fox  terrier  that  so  valiantly  chased  the  robber  to  his  den  on 
the  occasion  of  Pete's  first  visit  and  came  to  grief  thereby.  If 
the  reader  has  overlooked  the  fact  that  the  brave  little  creature 
was  still  somewhere  in  the  depths  of  the  cavern,  he  may  be  sure 
Pete  Kinchen's  memory  was  not  so  treacherous.  The  main  pur 
pose  of  the  lad  in  attaching  himself  to  Captain  Mclntosh's  band  of 
explorers  was  to  make  diligent  search  for  his  dog  and  bring  him 
forth,  dead  or  alive.  So  completely  did  the  thought  of  his  com 
rade,  Jineral  Beauregard,  fill  the  mind  of  the  negro  lad,  that  the 
entire  force  advancing  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth  took  on  the 
character  of  a  relief  expedition,  and  for  his  own  part  he  did 
nothing  from  the  time  the  others  joined  him  in  the  dry  passage  but 


336  The  K.  K.  K. 

hunt  for  his  dog  with  lantern  and  friendly  whistle.  For  a  long 
while  his  quest  was  unrewarded,  but  finally  those  who  were  occu 
pied  at  some  distance  away  heard  his  glad  shout  announcing  to  the 
subterranean  world  that  the  lost  had  been  found.  Presently  the 
glimmer  of  his  lantern  was  seen,  as  he  made  his  way  rapidly 
toward  them,  bearing  his  faithful  four-footed  companion  in  his 
arms.  Not  only  had  he  recovered  his  dog,  but  he  had  found  him 
alive,  and  his  great  white  eyes  and  glistening  teeth  proclaimed 
his  unspeakable  joy  thereat.  Jineral  Beauregard,  whose  sands  of 
life  had  nearly  run  out,  licked  the  boy  gratefully  on  the  cheek  and 
feebly  wagged  his  stump  of  a  tail,  thereby  indicating  to  all  intelli 
gent  observers  that  the  spirit  indeed  was  willing,  but  the  flesh  was 
weak.  There  was  a  deep  gash  across  the  back  of  his  neck,  where 
the  cruel  bullet  had  plowed  its  way,  and  he  was  so  faint  from 
hunger  and  pain  that  he  could  not  stand  at  all  upon  his  legs. 
They  bore  him  safely  to  the  outer  world,  and  I  may  say  now,  to 
relieve  the  reader's  anxiety,  that  he  in  due  time  recovered  his 
health,  and  from  the  moment  he  began  again  to  stir  abroad  was  the 
observed  of  all  observers  wherever  he  went. 

The  time  was  now  at  hand  when  the  witnesses  in  the  famous 
Ankerstrom  case  must  again  be  gathered  together  and  persuaded 
or  cajoled  into  going  once  more  to  court  to  testify.  It  was  with 
absolutely  no  hope  of  obtaining  a  conviction  that  Pearson  devoted 
himself  to  this  task,  but  he  wished  the  community  to  be  spared  of 
what  he  thought  to  be  the  disgrace  of  a  public  acquittal.  It  had 
been  part  of  the  plan  of  the  secret  order  which  had  condemned 
the  prisoner  to  intercept  the  train  that  bore  him  from  Nashville, 
and  to  take  him  from  the  custody  of  the  few  guards  that  they 
supposed  would  accompany  him.  This  plan,  however,  had  been 
J  frustrated  by  the  unexpected  withdrawal  of  the  murderer,  and 
his  transportation  to  the  jail  of  the  county  where  his  former  trial 
had  occurred.  Here  his  case  must  again  be  heard  by  a  jury,  and 
for  the  convenience  of  his  attorneys  he  was  sent  down  a  few  days 
in  advance  of  the  time  set  for  his  second  public  trial. 

Pearson,  as  said,  entertained  no  hope  of  convicting  the  murderer 
of  Mrs.  Bascombe  after  the  most  material  evidence  against  him  had 
been  eliminated  from  the  case  by  the  decision  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State.  The  attorney-general,  but  for  the  earnest 
protest  of  those  most  interested  on  the  side  of  the  prosecution, 
would  have  entered  a  nolle  prosequi  and  had  the  prisoner  dis 
charged.  As  it  was  he  entered  into  the  investigation  with  the 


A  Second  Trial  of  the  Ankerstrom  Case.      337 

idea  that  an  outrageous  crime  had  been  committed  which  ought 
to  be  punished,  and  which  he  would  make  a  desperate  endeavor 
to  have  punished  whether  the  evidence  justified  a  conviction  or 
not.  A  cur  dog  will  fight  desperately  if  his  friends  pat  him  on 
the  back  in  advance  of  the  engagement,  and  the  State's  officer,  who 
was  no  cur  dog  by  any  means,  was  aroused  to  greater  zeal  in  the 
fight  he  was  now  to  wage  by  the  fact  that  a  good  many  excellent 
people  were  interested  in  his  success  and  apparently  expected 
great  things  of  him.  'Twere  long  to  tell  of  the  legal  tilts,  the  sharp 
thrusts,  the  keen  retorts,  the  learned  arguments,  the  appeals  to 
passion  and  sympathy,  the  bursts  of  eloquence,  the  ingenious 
twisting  of  testimony,  and  the  other  concomitants  of  an  important 
criminal  trial  that  took  up  the  time  of  the  court  for  an 
other  full  week.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  at  the  end  of  the  struggle 
the  attorney  general  was  so  far  successful  that  the  jury 
failed  to  agree,  and  so  was  discharged  without  rendering  any 
verdict  at  all.  Ten  good  and  lawful  men  on  their  oaths,  and  with 
such  testimony  as  they  had  before  them,  were  of  opinion  that  a 
verdict  of  not  guilty  should  be  rendered  and  the  prisoner  re 
leased  from  the  custody  of  the  law.  Two  obstinate  fellows  held 
out  for  conviction  and  the  hanging  of  the  prisoner,  upon  the 
ground  that  he  had  certainly  killed  old  Granny  Bascombe,  and  the 
fact  that  his  guilt  was  not  clearly  proven  in  court  ought  not  to 
save  his  bacon.  Our  old  friend  Palaver  was  furious  at  the  result, 
the  attorney-general  was  pleased,  the  prisoner  was  remanded  to 
jail,  and  the  cause  continued  to  the  next  term  of  the  court. 

"  My  man  will  be  free  by  the  time  frost  comes  next  fall,"  re 
marked  Palaver  boastfully  to  a  crolwd  at  the  foot  of  the  steps 
when  court  had  adjourned.  "  There  is  no  evidence  to  convict 
him,  and  there  cannot  be  a  second  failure  of  justice.  I  shall  ask 
to  have  him  admitted  to  bail  as  soon  as  the  judge  has  leisure  to 
consider  the  matter." 

The  fact  is,  Palaver,  smarting  under  defeat,  was  about  to  apply 
for  bail  as  soon  as  the  jury  was  discharged,  but  he  reflected  that 
he  might  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  the  mistrial  afforded  him 
to  wrest  a  little  more  money  out  of  his  client.  The  case  had  been 
contested  more  severely  than  he  expected  when  he  fixed  his  fee, 
and  all  these  delays  and  applications  for  bail  ought  to  be  compen 
sated  for  by  fresh  drafts  on  the  pocket  of  the  venerable  Olof 
Ankerstrom,  who — Palaver  had  discovered — though  occasionally 
reduced  low,  had  some  mysterious  way  of  replenishing  his  ex- 

14 


338  The  K.  K.  K. 

chequer.  The  lawyer  therefore  waited  to  confer  with  the  old 
gentleman,  whom  he  had  not  seen  of  late,  before  making  to  the 
honorable  court  a  request  for  bail,  which  he  had  every  reason  to 
believe  would  be  granted  when  applied  for. 

On  the  evening  following  the  day  of  the  trial,  when  all  the  wit 
nesses  had  gone  their  separate  ways,  and  other  matters  had  been 
taken  up,  Palaver  prior  to  wending  his  way  homeward  had  stepped 
into  a  saloon  near  his  office  to  take  an  invigorating  nip,  and  thus 
prepare  his  mind  for  the  restful  influence  of  home.  He  was 
standing  at  the  bar,  had  given  his  order,  and  was  stirring  his 
glass  thoughtfully  when  he  was  accosted  in  a  friendly  way  by  a 
young  gentleman  who  had  entered  the  saloon  manifestly  upon  the 
same  business. 

"  Good-evening,  Colonel,"  said  the  young  gentleman,  extend 
ing  his  hand  cordially  as  he  spoke. 

The  lawyer  raised  his  head  and  eyed  the  new-comer  inquisi 
tively  to  see  if  he  could  remember  ever  having  met  him  before. 

"  My  name  is  Galloway,"  said  the  young  gentleman ;  "  nephew 
of  your  old  friend  Galloway  of  Nashville.  You  don't  know  me, 
Colonel,  but  I  know  you.  I  am  studying  law,  and  hope  some 
day  to  be  able  to  make  such  an  argument  as  I  heard  you  make 
not  long  ago  before  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  Ankerstrom  case. 
That  was  a  grand  argument,  Colonel,  a  grand  argument.  Every 
body  said  so  who  heard  it." 

"  It  won  the  case,"  replied  the  lawyer  complacently.  "  A  good 
speech,  my  young  friend,  is  a  speech  that  wins  the  lawsuit." 

"  So  it  is,  so  it  is,"  said  the  young  gentleman,  bowing  low  to 
his  senior.  "  There  can  be  no  better  definition  of  a  good  speech 
than  to  say  it  is  one  that  wins  the  lawsuit." 

"  The  Colonel  makes  a  good  many  speeches  of  that  kind,"  in 
terposed  the  friendly  barkeeper.  "  The  fact  is,  he  don't  make  any 
other  sort." 

The  Colonel,  manifestly  pleased  at  finding  himself  held  in  such 
high  esteem,  here  pulled  an  assortment  of  silver  coins  from  his 
pocket  preparatory  to  settling  his  little  bill. 

"  Allow  me,"  said  the  gracious  young  gentleman,  and  he  passed 
to  the  barkeeper  a  coin  of  sufficient  denomination  to  pay  for  two 
drinks.  The  Colonel  bowed  with  dignity  and  also  with  affability. 
It  was  a  standing  rule  of  his  always  to  let  the  other  fellow  pay  for 
the  drinks  if  he  would. 

"  A  good  speech,  as  you  say,  Colonel,"  continued  the  pleasant 


A  Second  Trial  of  the  Ankerstrom  Case.       339 

young  gentleman,  wiping  his  mouth,  "  is  a  speech  that  wins  the 
case.  Spread-eagle  oratory,  and  that  sort  of  thing,  counts  for 
little,  I  imagine,  with  an  intelligent  court." 

"  Not  worth  a  d — n,"  replied  the  Colonel. 

"  It  may  now/'  pursued  the  agreeable  young  gentleman,  "  once 
in  a  while  make  some  impression  on  a  jury " 

"  That's  where  it  comes  in,"  interrupted  the  Colonel,  breaking 
in  on  the  young  gentleman's  remark.  "  You  are  seeking  to  qualify 
yourself  for  the  practice  of  my  profession,  and  I  tell  you  right 
now  that  buncombe  talk  goes  a  long  way  with  a  jury." 

"  Gentlemen,"  chimed  in  the  barkeeper,  whose  prophetic  soul 
recognized  in  this  confab  a  second  order  for  drinks,  "  walk  into 
the  back  room.  You'll  find  seats  there." 

"  Don't  care  if  I  do,"  replied  the  young  gentleman,  taking  his 
way  into  a  snug  apartment  in  the  rear. 

"  Only  for  a  few  minutes,"  remarked  the  Colonel,  following  the 
young  gentleman's  lead. 

Here  the  two  gentlemen  sat  discoursing  for  the  space  of  ten 
minutes,  or  some  such  matter,  when  the  pleasant  youth  pro 
pounded  the  following  query : 

"  What  remark  was  that,  Colonel,  which  the  governor  of  North 
Carolina  made  to  the  governor  of  South  Carolina  ?  " 

"  If  his  utterance  has  been  correctly  reported,"  replied  the  Colo 
nel  gravely,  "  he  said  it  was  a  long  time  between  drinks." 

"  Ha-ha-ha,"  laughed  the  two  gentlemen  in  unison,  and  in  re 
sponse  to  a  rap  upon  the  table  the  barkeeper  appeared  with  two 
more  glasses  of  liquor. 

They  sat  chatting  for  another  little  while,  and  as  they  rose  to 
go  the  young  gentleman  remarked  in  a  confidential  manner : 

"  By  the  way,  I  heard  a  thing  the  other  day,  Colonel,  that  per 
haps  you  ought  to  know.  A  friend  of  mine,  a  drummer,  and  a 
pretty  shrewd  fellow,  had  just  returned  from  the  Marrowbone 
Hills,  and  he  said  the  folks  up  there  were  mad  as  tucker  over  the 
decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  Ankerstrom  case.  There  was 
a  good  deal  of  excited  talk,  he  said,  about  sending  a  mob  down 
here  to  take  Ankerstrom  out  of  jail  and  hang  him.  There  may 
be  nothing  at  all  in  the  threat — and  I  don't  suppose  there  is — but  I 
thought  I'd  let  you  know  how  the  folks  up  there  were  plotting 
mischief." 

"  Thank  you,  Galloway,"  replied  the  Colonel.  "  We  have  heard 
all  about  that,  but  have  not  been  in  the  least  disturbed  by  the 


340  The  K.  K.  K. 

rumor,  because  a  dozen  mobs  couldn't  break  open  the  jail  here 
and  take  a  prisoner  out.  To  save  trouble,  however,  we're  going  to 
send  Ankerstrom  back  to  Nashville  without  delay.  We  don't 
want  any  rash  attempts  made  here  that  may  compel  the  officers  to 
shed  blood." 

"  I  see,  I  see,"  replied  the  pleasant  young  gentleman.  "  Well, 
that  course  certainly  is  commendable  and  merciful.  I  hope  if  the 
mob  does  come  the  jailer  will  be  able  to  say  to  them  truthfully  that 
the  man  they  seek  is  no  longer  in  his  custody." 

"  He  can  certainly  say  that,"  replied  the  Colonel,  "  unless  the 
mob  comes  to-night.  To-morrow  evening  we  mean  to  send  An 
kerstrom  back  to  Nashville.  This,  of  course,  is  confidential." 

"  Of  course,"  said  the  young  gentleman.  "  Of  c-o-u-r-s-e.  I 
see,  Colonel,  you  keep  your  eyes  open  all  the  time." 

"  Nobody  has  ever  caught  me  napping  yet,"  replied  the  Colonel. 
"  In  our  profession,  Galloway,  a  man  must  keep  his  eyes  open  all 
the  time."  And  the  new  acquaintances  here  shook  hands  cor 
dially  and  parted  with  mutual  esteem. 

As  the  agreeable  young  gentleman  walked  down  the  street  it 
might  have  been  observed  that  he  bore  a  marvelous  resemblance 
to  our  farmer  friend  Teddy  Mclntosh ;  but  we  know  it  could  not 
have  been  Teddy  because  the  young  man  had  just  told  Colonel 
Palaver  that  his  name  was  Galloway,  and  that  he  was  studying  for 
the  law.  When  he  had  reached  and  turned  a  corner  and,  pro 
ceeding  on  his  way,  had  reached  and  turned  another  corner,  he 
came  upon  two  other  young  men  who  seemingly  had  been  waiting 
for  him.  The  three  stood  a  while  in  close  conference,  and  after 
they  separated  one  of  the  number  went  off  by  himself,  and 
mounting  a  horse  set  out  at  a  pretty  good  gait  in  the  direction 
of  the  Marrowbone  Hills.  It  was  nearly  night,  but  he  rode  as 
if  he  meant  to  travel  a  considerable  distance  before  his  jaded  steed 
was  permitted  to  enter  a  stable  for  rest  and  food.  Mr.  Galloway 
and  his  remaining  friend,  having  no  pressing  business  on  hand, 
went  to  a  tavern  and  supped  and  lodged,  and  next  morning  were 
out  upon  the  streets  again. 


A  Noted  Individual  Shuffles  Off  this  Mortal  Coil.     341 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

A  NOTED  INDIVIDUAL  SHUFFLES  OFF  THIS  MORTAL  COIL,  AND  LEAVES 
THE  WORLD  NONE  THE  POORER. 

LATE  in  the  afternoon  following  his  pleasant  confab  with  lawyer 
Palaver,  Mr.  Galloway,  having  seen  all  the  sights  of  the  town, 
concluded  to  take  his  departure.  He  and  his  friend  strolled  in  a 
leisurely  way  to  the  depot  with  the  view  of  taking  the  northbound 
train,  and  a  few  minutes  after  their  arrival  an  officer  came  from 
ihe  jail,  having  in  custody  the  prisoner,  Ankerstrom,  who  was  to 
be  escorted  back  to  Nashville  for  safe  keeping.  A  second  officer 
was  along,  perhaps  merely  as  company  for  the  first,  perhaps 
to  assist  in  case  the  prisoner  should  make  an  effort  to  give  leg 
bail. 

Before  the  arrival  of  the  northbound  train  Mr.  Galloway  went 
out  and  telegraphed  to  a  friend  living  on  the  Nashville  road  that 
two  good  mules  could  be  bought  at  Coopertown  upon  reasonable 
terms.  Perhaps  if  Colonel  Palaver  had  been  present  he  might 
have  inquired  if  the  young  law  student  was  also  engaged  in  the 
mule  trade,  but  Colonel  Palaver  was  not  present,  and  conse 
quently  Mr.  Galloway  was  not  called  upon  to  answer  any  ques 
tions. 

At  Guthrie,  Kentucky,  there  was  a  wait  of  something  more  than 
an  hour.  At  this  point,  as  all  well-informed  persons  know,  the  St. 
Louis  &  Southeastern  road  crosses  the  Louisville  &  Memphis 
Railroad,  and  passengers  for  Nashville  from  the  latter  road  must 
change  cars.  Mr.  Galloway  and  his  friend  walked  up  and  down 
the  long  platform  chatting  pleasantly,  and  did  not  seem  to  mind 
the  delay  at  all.  The  officers  in  charge  of  Ankerstrom  grew 
somewhat  impatient.  The  St.  Louis  train  was  nearly  an  hour 
late,  and  they  did  not  relish  the  idea  of  being  compelled  to  post 
pone  their  stay  at  Guthrie.  They  spoke  their  minds  as  freely  in 
the  presence  of  the  prisoner  as  if  the  latter  had  been  stone  deaf  or 
totally  unfamiliar  with  the  English  language. 


342  The  K.  K.  K. 

"  I  don't  like  this  here  place  at  all,"  said  the  head  officer  to  his 
assistant,  "  and  I  never  did  like  it." 

"  Me  riother,"  replied  the  gentleman  addressed.  "  It's  a  tick 
lish  place  for  them  in  our  business,  and  that's  a  fact." 

"  It's  pretty  rough,"  continued  the  first,  "  that  an  officer  can't 
take  a  criminal  from  one  place  in  Tennessee  to  another  place  in 
Tennessee  without  having  to  go  out  of  the  State  on  his  road. 
And  it's  all  the  rougher  that  while  you  are  out  of  the  State  with 
your  man  you've  got  to  stop  and  wait  a  couple  of  hours.  All 
sorts  of  things  can  happen  in  two  hours." 

"  Our  man  might  jump  up  and  run  "  replied  the  assistant,  "  and 
we  dassn't  shoot  him,  because  over  here  in  Kentucky  we  hain't 
got  him  in  legal  custody." 

"  I'll  put  one  ball  in  him  if  he  tries  that  caper,"  said  the  head 
officer  nonchalantly,  "  though  I  may  get  took  up  the  next  minute 
for  shootin'  inside  the  town  limits.  But  what  I'm  afraid  of  is  a 
habeas  corpus.  Some  Kentucky  constable  could  read  a  little  piece 
of  paper  to  us  right  now,  and  we'd  have  to  give  up  this  scoundrel 
whether  or  no.  I  wonder  the  lawyers  on  this  side  of  the  line  don't 
'work  that  racket  often  on  Tennessee  officers." 

"  Did  you  ever  know  'em  do  it  ?  "  inquired  number  two. 

"  I  'member  one  time — — "  began  his  superior,  intending  to 
favor  his  companion  with  a  chapter  from  the  book  of  his  individual 
experience. 

"  Yonder  she  comes,"  interrupted  the  party  of  the  second  part, 
as  he  observed  a  thin  curl  of  smoke  a  mile  or  so  away  up  the  road. 

"  Now  I  feel  easy,"  remarked  the  principal  officer.  "  In  ten 
minutes  more  we'll  be  back  in  Tennessee  again,  and  when  I'm  in 
Tennessee  I  ask  no  odds  of  anybody." 

Night  had  set  in  some  time  before,  and  the  train  made  a  pretty 
sight  as  the  cars  rolled  up  to  the  platform.  Johan  Ankerstrom 
was  in  excellent  spirits  for  so  sullen  a  fellow  as  he  habitually  was. 
He  had  not  cared  to  make  a  break  from  the  officers  and  risk  the 
chances  of  being  shot.  He  had  no  need  of  habeas  corpus  pro 
ceedings  in  Kentucky,  for  the  outlook  in  Tennessee  was  encour 
aging,  and  he  cherished  a  reasonable  hope  of  being  freed  by  legal 
process  in  that  State  soon. 

When  they  got  aboard  the  train  for  Nashville  the  two  officers 
and  their  prisoner  took  the  smoking-car,  and  Mr.  Galloway  and 
his  friend  likewise  took  the  smoking-car.  At  the  various  stations 
along  the  route  people  got  on  and  off  as  usual ;  only  it  was  noticed 


A  Noted  Individual  Shuffles  Off  this  Mortal  Coil.     343 

that  on  this  occasion  a  good  many  more  people  got  on  than  off. 
By  the  time  the  engine  whistled  for  the  station  called  "  Ridgetop  " 
the  smoking-car  was  nearly  full  of  men,  an  unusual  circumstance. 

At  Ridgetop  a  party  of  young  fellows  got  aboard,  who  were 
manifestly  resolved  to  make  a  night  of  it,  and  had  already  ad 
vanced  a  considerable  way  in  this  laudable  endeavor.  They  made 
as  if  they  would  enter  the  ladies'  coach,  but  the  conductor  politely 
invited  them  into  the  smoking-car. 

The  train  now  began  gliding  rapidly  down  the  hill.  It  was  con 
siderably  behind  time,  and  turned  the  many  short  curves  in  the 
track  with  what  seemed  to  be  almost  reckless  rapidity.  When 
something  more  than  half  way  down  an  accident  occurred  which 
for  the  moment  promised  serious  consequences.  The  train  was 
nearing  the  dangerous-looking  bridge — built  in  a  semicircle — 
when  a  man  suddenly  stepped  on  the  track  in  front  and  waved  a 
lantern  furiously.  Others  appeared  by  his  side  flourishing  their 
hats,  and  crying  aloud  "  Stop !  stop !  stop !  "  The  engineer, 
being  thus  confronted  in  an  alarming  manner,  reversed  his  engine, 
bringing  the  train  at  once  to  a  halt  and  flinging  many  of  the  pas 
sengers  from  their  seats.  The  drunken  squad,  supposing  that  a 
promiscuous  melee  had  begun,  fell  a  fighting  among  themselves. 
One  flourished  a  stick  and  broke  a  lamp  overhead.  A  second  light 
had  been  extinguished  by  the  general  shock,  and  only  a  single 
lamp  remained,  which  but  feebly  lit  up  the  car.  A  great  con 
fusion  of  voices  now  arose ;  some  calling  out  to  jump  from  the 
train  and  others  crying  they  were  on  the  bridge,  and  to  leap  would 
be  death. 

The  officer  in  charge  of  the  prisoner  as  soon  as  the  shock  came 
was  seized  from  behind  by  two  or  more  persons  and  his  arms  held 
fast.  He  called  to  his  deputy  by  name,  telling  him  to  hold  the 
prisoner  but  the  deputy  had  also  been  seized  in  like  fashion  with 
himself.  Ankerstrom  had  not  been  fettered — as  the  precaution 
had  been  deemed  unnecessary  for  so  short  a  journey — and  now 
stood  hesitating  while  the  hubbub  about  him  increased.  "  Run," 
whispered  one  to  him  as  he  stood  uncertain.  "  Run,  you  fool." 
He  leaped  over  the  back  of  the  seat  and  started  for  the  nearest 
door. 

"  Catch  the  prisoner !  "  cried  the  officer,  who  could  see  him 
moving  in  the  misty  light.  "  Catch  the  prisoner !  There  he  goes." 

"  Catch  the  prisoner !  catch  the  prisoner !  "  cried  a  dozen  voices 
at  once ;  but  they  helped  him  on  his  way. 


344  The  K.  K.  K. 

He  twisted  in  and  out  among  them.  He  dodged  them,  suppos 
ing  he  was  unknown  in  the  confusion.  At  first  he  had  seemed 
almost  loth  to  go,  but  he  redoubled  his  effort  to  escape  when  he 
heard  the  officer's  cry.  Struggling  down  the  aisle  through  the 
surging  mass  of  men  he  reached  the  door.  On  his  left  was  a 
small  plot  of  level  ground,  where  stood  a  number  of  persons. 
On  his  right  was  a  steep  declivity,  then  a  patch  of  scraggy  bushes, 
then  a  deep,  rough  hollow.  He  knew  the  place  well,  and  when  he 
reached  the  platform  leaped  boldly  into  the  darkness  on  his  right. 
He  rolled  over  and  over  when  he  struck  the  earth,  scarcely  making 
an  effort  to  stay  himself.  Now  he  rose,  and  dashing  into  the 
patch  of  scrubby  undergrowth  ran  for  his  life.  He  cared  not  that 
the  briars  and  sharp  branches  tore  his  clothing.  He  understood 
that  to  flee  down  hill  would  lead  him  into  the  deep,  dark  hollow 
where  safety  lay,  and  lowering  his  head  and  closing  his  eyes  he 
sped  with  all  his  might.  When  he  had  made  furious  headway 
thus  for  a  little  space  he  ran  into  the  arms  of  a  man.  Not 
of  one  man  only,  but  of  two,  three,  a  dozen,  who  had  him  bound 
and  gagged  before  he  fully  realized  he  was  in  their  hands. 

Back  at  the  train  the  engineer  had  become  satisfied  that  there 
was  no  serious  trouble  ahead.  A  handful  of  excited  men  had  be 
come  alarmed  over  a  rumor  that  one  of  the  rails  on  the  bridge  had 
slipped  its  place,  and  so  had  rashly  signalled  the  train.  The  worst 
of  the  matter  was  that  the  prisoner  had  escaped.  He  had  darted  off 
during  the  confusion,  and  was  now  at  large  somewhere  out  in  the 
bushes.  Undoubtedly  there  was  a  preconcerted  plan  to  take  him 
from  the  officer  and  kill  him,  but  the  mob  had  bungled  and  let 
him  go,  and  to  catch  him  again  would  be  no  easy  matter.  Some 
were  ready  to  declare  that  the  handful  of  excited  men  who  stopped 
the  train  were  really  part  of  the  mob,  but  making  an  assertion  is 
one  thing  and  bringing  proof  to  substantiate  it  is  another. 

Meantime  a  considerable  band  of  horsemen  wended  their  way  in 
silence  from  the  scene  of  the  confusion  back  toward  the  interior 
of  the  Marrowbone  Hills.  Before  the  stars  had  begun  to  pale  an 
other  assemblage  was  gathered  about  the  ashes  of  the  old  Bas- 
combe  home.  It  was  a  solemn  assemblage,  as  might  have  been 
noted,  if  there  had  been  a  curious  looker  on  at  the  moment,  and  a 
quiet  assemblage,  for  no  word  was  spoken  that  could  have  been 
heard  twenty  yards  away.  Back  in  the  thicket  might  have  been 
heard  the  stamping  feet  of  tethered  horses,  but  none  of  these  were 
visible  in  the  little  clearing  that  marked  the  spot  where  the  old 


A  Noted  Individual  Shuffles  Off  this  Mortal  Coil.     345 

house  had  stood.  Robed  in  long  black  gowns,  with  black  hoods 
concealing  their  features,  human  creatures  now  stood  in  this  space, 
as  silent,  and  almost  as  motionless,  as  the  desolate  chimneys  that 
still  guarded  the  precincts  of  the  once  cheerful  home.  These  fig 
ures — about  two  score  in  number — were  formed  in  a  circle  around 
a  large  oak  tree  that  grew  in  the  front  yard,  a  few  steps  away 
from  the  door  through  which  the  old  widow  had  fled  on  the  night 
of  the  murder.  It  was  near  the  root  of  this  tree — as  was  shown 
by  her  own  statement,  and  by  blood  stains  upon  the  earth — that  the 
cruel  blow  from  the  ax  was  delivered. 

Now  was  led  forward  a  horse,  upon  the  back  of  which  sat  one 
pinioned,  and  with  his  feet  bound  together  underneath  the  body 
of  the  animal.  In  the  dim  light  those  who  had  ever  seen  him  be 
fore  could  not  fail  to  recognize  the  repulsive  features  of  the  mur 
derer,  Johan  Ankerstrom,  known  as  Cross-eyed  Jack.  He  made 
no  noise  as  he  came  into  the  center  of  the  group,  for  he  had  been 
gagged  as  well  as  firmly  bound.  On  each  side  as  he  came  walked 
a  figure  robed  in  black  and  holding  him  by  the  arm  to  make  sure 
that  he  kept  his  place  on  the  back  of  the  horse.  When  they  came  to 
the  large  oak  tree  they  halted  underneath  a  limb,  from  which  a 
rope  dangled.  The  loose  end  of  this  was  quickly  tied  in  a  slip 
knot  about  the  captive's  neck.  He  made  no  resistance  as  this  was 
done,  but  seemed  to  be  sullenly  submitting  to  his  fate. 

"  Prisoner,"  now  came  in  solemn  tones  from  one  of  the  figures 
who  stood  a  little  apart  from  the  others,  "  your  last  hour  has 
come.  Is  there  anything  you  wish  to  say  before  you  are  made  to 
atone  for  the  death  of  the  good  old  woman  whom  you  murdered 
on  this  spot  ?  " 

Then  the  handkerchief  was  unloosed  from  the  mouth  of  the  cap 
tive  in  order  that  he  might  have  opportunity  to  reply. 

Cross-eyed  Jack  glared  about  him  as  a  tiger  might  have  glared 
that  found  itself  trapped  and  begirt  with  foes.  Those  who  know 
they  are  doomed  to  die  nearly  always  meet  the  inevitable  with 
outward  fortitude.  With  most  base  characters  this  seeming  reso 
lution  results  only  from  an  utter  inability  on  their  part  to  realize ,! 
the  stupendous  fact  that  they  are  about  to  forsake  a  stage  of  ex 
istence  which  has  before  occupied  all  their  thoughts  and  pass  at 
once  to  an  unknown  and  uncontemplated  beyond.  Johan  An 
kerstrom  had  never  done  an  act  in  all  his  life  that  could  properly 
establish  for  him  the  reputation  of  being  a  courageous  man.  He 
had  been  rather  a  skulking  beast  of  prey,  whose  instinct  prompted 


346  The  K.  K.  K. 

him  always  to  flight  till  caught  in  a  situation  where  flight  was  im 
possible.  Now  as  he  sat  powerless  and  hopeless  under  the  gallows 
tree  he  was  resolved  to  die  as  a  savage  would  have  died  who  saw 
no  chance  of  escape  or  of  wreaking  vengeance  on  his  foes.  If 
he  could  not  save  himself  he  could  at  least  heap  imprecations 
upon  his  enemies.  When  his  lips  were  first  unsealed  he  spluttered 
out  meaningless  sounds  for  a  moment,  for  he  was  literally  chok 
ing  with  rage  and  blind  malice  toward  those  who  held  him  in  the 
hollow  of  their  hands.  When  he  found  utterance  he  raised  his 
voice  to  its  highest  pitch  and  screamed  out  oaths  and  insulting 
abuse  of  the  coarsest  nature  upon  his  captors.  It  was  horrible 
to  hear  the  dead  silence  of  the  night  broken  by  such  wild  and 
blasphemous  words,  especially  when  those  who  listened  knew 
they  fell  from  the  lips  of  a  dying  man. 

To  check  the  torrent  of  rough  language  the  chieftain  of  the 
group  raised  his  right  hand  and  at  once  the  handkerchief  was  re 
placed  in  the  murderer's  mouth  and  his  harsh  voice  stilled,  though 
for  some  moments  longer  hoarse  guttural  sounds  proceeded  from 
his  throat.  Then  again  the  principal  person  of  the  group  spake, 
addressing  the  silent  creatures  around  him : 

"  By  sentence  of  the  Ulema,  and  by  the  decree  of  our  mystical 
order,  this  man  has  been  adjudged  worthy  of  death.  Are  ye  all 
still  convinced  it  was  his  hand  that  smote  down  at  midnight  the 
good  old  woman  who  died  on  this  spot  ?  " 

Every  cowled  figure  in  the  circle  bowed  low  in  token  of  ac 
quiescence. 

"  Is  it  still  your  deliberate  judgment  that  for  this  grave  crime 
his  life  should  pay  the  forfeit  ?  " 

Again  every  black-robed  figure  bowed  his  head  in  token  of  as 
sent. 

Then  spake  the  leader  for  the  last  time,  in  tones  deep,  slow  and 
,  solemnly  impressive: 

"  Let  him  die  the  death." 

Those  on  each  hand  now  held  the  murderer  firmly.  The  bonds 
that  bound  his  feet  together  were  unloosed  and  the  horse  was  led 
from  under  him.  He  struggled  for  a  long  while  in  the  presence 
of  the  somber  figures  that  composed  the  circle,  but  none  of  these 
approached  him,  and  no  one  spake  a  word.  No  angry  demon 
stration  accompanied  the  last  moments  of  the  criminal  on  earth. 
No  pitying  voice  was  lifted  against  his  taking  off.  None  gloated 
over  his  death  agony,  as  he  had  done  two  years  before  when  Sandy 


A  Noted  Individual  Shuffles  Off  this  Mortal  Coil.     347 

Kinchen — near  the  self-same  spot — died  innocent  of  the  crime  for 
which  he  suffered.  Long  time  the  body  dangled  from  the  tree, 
and  when  life  was  extinct  the  leader  of  the  band  announced  to  his 
followers  that  the  sentence  of  the  mystic  order  had  been  executed 
and  they  might  disperse  to  their  several  homes. 

So  died  Johan  Ankerstrom,  murderer,  outlaw,  anarchist,  atheist, 
human  brute.  We  are  told  in  the  Book  of  books  that  of  him  to 
whom  little  is  given  on  this  earth  little  is  expected.  If  so  it  may 
be  that  when  this  base  creature  came  to  be  judged  in  the  wiser 
world  beyond,  against  his  many  sins  of  commission  and  omission 
were  placed  as  an  offset  his  scant  opportunities  in  life,  his  slug 
gish  intellect,  his  evil  associations  from  childhood,  his  brutish  in 
stincts,  which  though  he  had  striven  against  them  he  perhaps 
lacked  spiritual  strength  to  resist.  It  may  be  that  when  he  reached 
that  wiser  world  beyond  all  these  things  were  considered  in  judg 
ing  the  brutal  malefactor,  the  pros  and  cons  fairly  weighed  in 
summing  up  his  earthly  career,  and  a  final  verdict  rendered  in  his 
case  which  tempered  stern  justice  with  divine  mercy.  In  human 
governments,  however,  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  administer  justice 
cannot  afford  to  inquire  too  nicely  into  the  remote  influences  that 
combine  to  form  the  character  of  the  criminal.  Society  here  must 
protect  the  peaceable  and  well  disposed  among  its  members  from 
the  cruel  and  rapacious,  the  doves  from  the  foxes.  To  this  end 
penal  statutes  are  framed,  and  whenever  these  statutes  are  not 
promptly  and  rigorously  executed  the  purpose  of  the  law  is  de 
feated  and  society  is  wronged.  Undue  solicitude  for  the  evildoer 
removes  a  wholesome  restraint  from  his  class  and  leaves  the  better 
element  in  a  community  at  the  mercy  of  the  worst,  so  that  tender 
ness  for  the  few  is  cruelty  to  the  many. 

When  dawn  was  nigh  those  who  formed  the  silent  circle  sepa 
rated  and  went  their  several  ways,  leaving  the  lifeless  body  of  the 
murderer  hanging  from  the  tree.  Before  the  order  to  disperse 
was  given  the  individual  who  seemed  to  be  in  command  advanced 
and  pinned  to  the  malefactor's  chest  a  broad  placard  containing 
these  words  plainly  written : 


348  The  K.  K.  K. 


"  This  man  was  not  hung  by  an  angry  mob,  nor  exe 
cuted  by  the  sheriff  of  the  county  in  pursuance  of  a  legal 
decree. 

"  HE  DIED  AT  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  K.  K.  K. 

When  monstrous  crimes  are  no  longer  committed,  or 
justice  is  speedily  administered  through  the  courts,  this 
organization  will  cease  to  exist. 

"TILL  THEN   LET   EVILDOERS   BEWARE." 


Underneath  were  certain  mystical  characters  or  hieroglyphics 
that  may  have  signified  a  great  deal,  and  may  have  signified 
nothing  at  all. 

All  day  the  lifeless  body  hung,  as  the  lifeless  body  of  Sandy 
Kinchen  had  hung  in  the  woods  near  by  about  two  years  before. 
Curious  people  came  and  viewed  it  and  went  their  way,  as  they 
had  done  when  Sandy  Kinchen  shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil  be 
neath  the  gallows  tree.  The  coroner  came  not  nigh  and  no  jury  of 
inquest  assembled  to  deliberate  and  report  as  to  the  identity  of  the 
dead  man  swinging  from  the  tree  or  the  cause  of  his  taking  off. 
That  night  the  body  was  lowered  by  unknown  hands  and  carried 
off  to  a  lonely  place  in  the  woods  where  a  grave  had  been  dug  to 
receive  it.  There  it  was  hidden  from  sight,  the  earth  above  it 
leveled,  and  leaves  and  dry  branches  scattered  over  the  spot,  so  that 
the  last  resting  place  of  the  murderer  could  not  be  discovered  at 
this  day  though  one  should  diligently  seek  for  it. 


The  Prompter  Rings  His  Little  Bell.         349 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  PROMPTER  RINGS  HIS  LITTLE  BELL,  AND  THE  CURTAIN  FALLS. 

WHATEVER  may  have  been  thought  and  said  elsewhere  about 
the  hanging  of  the  murderer,  Ankerstrom,  by  the  good  people  of 
the  Marrowbone  Hills  it  was  universally  lauded  as  a  meritorious 
act.  The  only  criticism  heard  upon  it  in  that  section  was  that  the 
villain  should  have  been  hung  long  before  he  was  hung,  and  that 
the  individuals  who  finally  administered  justice  in  his  case  waited 
over  long  in  the  discharge  of  a  plain  duty.  Still  from  the  morning 
when  the  body  of  the  malefactor  was  found  swinging  from  a  tree 
near  the  lonely  chimneys  of  the  old  Bascombe  place  down  to  this 
good  hour  the  mysterious  Brotherhood  of  the  K.  K.  K.  has  been 
regarded  as  a  praiseworthy  organization,  whose  mission  it  was  to 
set  things  to  rights  in  a  community  where  from  any  cause  the 
times  were  out  of  joint.  There  were,  as  said,  not  lacking  those  who 
censured  the  order  for  proceeding  too  deliberately,  but  the  most 
thoughtful  part  of  the  community  were  of  opinion  that  the  con 
stitution  of  the  order  was  wisely  framed  so  as  to  avoid  on  the  one 
hand  awkward  mistakes  and  on  the  other  vexatious  delay,  with 
probable  failure  of  justice  in  the  end.  It  was  right,  said  these,  to 
await  the  decision  of  the  courts  after  having  delivered  Anker 
strom  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  courts,  but  having  demonstrated 
the  utter  inability  of  judge  and  jury  to  administer  speedy 
justice  in  grave  cases  it  was  not  to  be  expected  the 
klan  in  future  would  waste  time  in  similar  experiments. 
Hereafter  when  murder  was  done,  or  other  flagrant  out 
rage  committed,  the  offender  would  be  run  down,  his 
case  critically  inquired  into  by  the  high  court  of  the  order, 
and  justice  meted  out  to  him  in  a  prompt  and  business-like 
way.  There  would  be  in  the  Marowbone  Hills  no  more  hasty 
action  by  an  incensed  mob,  such  as  had  brought  poor  Kinchen  to  an 
unmerited  end.  And  there  would  be,  on  the  other  hand,  no  more 
dilly-dallying  in  the  courts,  such  as  had  come  nigh  freeing  the 


350  The  K.  K.  K. 

murderer,  Cross-eyed  Jack,  after  two  years'  weary  waiting.  The 
grave  problem  of  crime  and  its  punishment  had  been  settled  by  the 
formation  of  the  efficient  secret  society  known  as  the  K.  K.  K. 
Thereafter  rascals  of  every  sort  would  be  apt  to  give  the  commu 
nity  a  wide  berth  for  fear  the  hobgoblins  of  the  order  would  over 
take  them  and  bring  them  to  justice  by  means  of  a  court  speedily 
organized  in  the  woods,  while  the  innocent  would  suffer  no  ap 
prehension  of  being  done  to  death  by  an  excited  mob  before 
inquiry  could  be  made  into  the  charges  against  them. 

So  the  talk  went;  but  while  a  great  majority  of  folk  in  the  hill 
country  thought  they  had  settled  a  very  grave  problem,  there 
were  not  wanting  a  few  restless  persons  in  their  midst  who  hank 
ered  after  still  further  reform.  These  insisted,  and  are  still  in 
sisting,  that  all  which  could  be  expected  of  the  K.  K.  K. — and  a 
good  deal  more — might  be  accomplished  through  regular  legal 
channels  if  the  legislature  would  but  amend  the  statute  laws  under 
which  we  live.  These  are  days  they  say,  of  steam  traffic,  tele 
graphs  and  telephones,  and  all  business  methods  have  been  revo 
lutionized  to  suit  the  times,  but  the  car  of  justice  creaks  along  in 
the  same  old  ruts  it  followed  when  George  the  Third  was  king. 

At  the  South  especially — insist  the  carpers  above  mentioned — 
the  criminal  statutes  require  to  be  remodeled  so  as  to  conform  to 
the  needs  of  the  present  generation.  Here,  as  a  consequence  of  the 
civil  war,  several  millions  of  negroes  have  been  lifted  from  servi 
tude  to  freedom,  and  while  a  great  majority  of  these  have  de 
ported  themselves  well,  many  have  become  criminals  and  have 
displayed  a  tendency  especially  toward  the  commission  of  vile  of 
fenses  against  which  every  instinct  of  civilized  man  revolts.  Hav 
ing  no  longer  any  masters  to  control  them,  and  being  unable  to 
control  themselves,  these  outlaws  are  now  dangerous  foes 
of  society  and  need  to  be  dealt  with  in  the  most  sum 
mary  manner  to  check  their  evil  propensities.  But  the  laws 
in  most  of  the  Southern  States  have  not  been  changed 
to  meet  this  changed  condition  of  affairs.  The  courts, 
proceeding  according  to  old  methods,  cannot  be  relied  on  to 
administer  speedy  justice,  and  speedy  justice  being  essential, 
citizens  rise  up  in  cases  of  extreme  provocation  and  seek  to  admin 
ister  it  themselves.  In  so  doing  they  occasionally  make  grievous 
mistakes,  and  they  always  set  an  example  of  lawless  violence  which 
the  evil  disposed  in  their  midst  are  swift  to  follow.  The  law 
makers  should  realize  the  serious  problem  they  have  to  deal  with 


The  Prompter  Rings  His  Little  Bell.         351 

and  undertake  to  solve  it  in  a  practical  way.  In  every  county  there 
should  be  some  official  authorized  to  make  prompt  investigation 
when  an  outrage  was  committed  and  to  arrest  suspected  parties. 
These  might  have  a  hearing  without  delay  before  a  ooiinty  judicial 
officer  and  an  intelligent  jury,  free  from  excitement  or  bias.  Suf 
ficient  time  should  be  given  to  make  the  trial  fair  and  complete, 
but  a  few  days  or  a  few  weeks  at  farthest  would  suffice  for  this 
purpose.  Alleged  errors  of  law,  arising  in  the  progress  of 
the  trial,  might  be  taken  at  once  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State, 
and  that  tribunal  in  such  case  should  be  required  to  suspend  all 
civil  business  and  dispose  of  these  without  delay.  If  a  new  trial 
was  ordered  it  should  be  held  at  once  before  another  jury  of  intel 
ligent  citizens  whose  only  qualification  should  be  that  they  were 
free  from  bias  either  for  or  against  the  prisoner,  and  could  give 
him  a  fair  trial.  In  two  or  three  months  at  farthest  the  most  hotly 
contested  case  could  thus  be  disposed  of  and  punishment  openly 
imposed  on  the  offender  if  he  was  adjudged  guilty.  Whenever 
in  any  community  speedy  and  fair  investigation  could  thus  be  had 
through  the  medium  of  the  courts  good  citizens  would  rely  on  the 
law  as  the  surest  means  of  suppressing  crime,  and  none  but  turbu 
lent  and  disorderly  spirits  would  encourage  any  attempt  on  the 
part  of  a  mob  to  usurp  the  province  of  the  courts. 

Thus,  or  in  some  such  fashion,  do  a  few  malcontents  in  the  Mar 
rowbone  Hills  continue  to  prate,  but  most  of  their  neighbors  pooh- 
pooh  the  idea  of  effecting  a  radical  reform  in  criminal  procedure 
by  means  of  change  in  the  statute  law.  As  well  expect,  say  they, 
to  alter  the  course  of  the  moon  round  the  earth  as  to  divert  the  es 
tablished  judicial  chariot  from  the  beaten  circuit  it  has  followed  for 
ages.  They  urge  further  that  the  old  method  of  criminal  pro 
cedure  has  become  now  a  fixed  part  of  our  civil  system,  and  there 
is  great  doubt  as  to  whether  the  body  politic  could  survive  the 
shock  if  one  of  its  principal  members  was  thus  plucked  up  vio 
lently  by  the  roots. 

If  the  author  could  be  heard  to  venture  a  suggestion  in  so 
weighty  a  controversy  he  would  propose  that  something  in  the 
nature  of  a  compromise  be  attempted  by  which  needed  reforms 
might  be  instituted  and  the  present  well-settled  order  of  things 
preserved  at  the  same  time  from  serious  shock.  In  the  ancient 
and  highly  civilized  empire  of  Japan  they  had  until  recently  two 
separate  and  distinct  governments  for  the  people,  each  in  opera 
tion,  and — as  you  may  say — in  full  blast  at  one  and  the  same  time. 


352  The  K.  K.  K. 

By  one  of  the  governments — if  the  author  understands  the  matter 
— affairs  were  conducted  altogether  according  to  time-honored 
precedent,  and  the  administration  of  justice  was  hedged  about  with 
so  many  well-established  rules  and  formulas  that  it  was  not  possi 
ble  in  any  case  to  attain  practical  results  although  the  worthy 
officials  were  always  hammering  away  at  one  thing  or  another. 
They  were  the  wisest  men  in  all  the  country,  selected  for  their  deep 
knowledge  of  old  laws  and  customs  and  their  supposed  ability  to 
see  further  into  a  millstone  than  the  common  run  of  men.  Yet, 
as  has  been  said,  they  so  mystified  their  brains  poring  over  musty 
old  books  and  endeavoring  to  construe  the  utterances  of  the  an 
cients,  that  they  were  unable  to  accomplish  anything  at  all  in  the 
way  of  business,  and  in  the  course  of  many  centuries  it  came  to  the 
point  that  nobody  expected  anything  at  all  of  them.  In  this  condi 
tion  of  affairs  the  Japanese,  who  are  an  exceedingly  ingenious  and 
resourceful  people,  instead  of  overthrowing  their  deeply  revered 
and  helpless  government,  set  up  another  alongside  of  it, 
from  which  some  little  might  be  expected  in  the  way  of 
attaining  results.  They  saw  to  it  that  the  men  chosen  to 
administer  this  second  government  were  practical  fellows, 
not  much  learned  in  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients,  but  hav 
ing  pretty  clear  ideas  as  to  the  pressing  needs  of  their 
own  times.  The  officials  selected  under  this  plan  speedily — 
to  use  a  Japanese  phrase — got  a  move  on  themselves.  They  en 
deavored  to  dispatch  business  according  to  modern  methods,  and, 
remembering  Lot's  wife — if  they  had  ever  heard  tell  of  her — 
avoided  the  fatal  habit  of  looking  backward.  The  two  plans — as 
the  author  has  always  understood — worked  well  and  smoothly  to 
gether  and  for  a  long  period  of  time  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of 
the  Japanese  people.  There  was  no  friction  and  no  conflict  of 
jurisdiction  between  the  two  governments,  as  each  was  entirely 
separate  and  distinct  from  the  other,  and  neither  paid  the  slightest 
attention  to  the  other.  Even  when  the  same  matter  came  up  be 
fore  them  for  consideration  no  trouble  arose,  for  the  later  tribunal 
would  usually  have  the  case  settled  and  off  hand  before  it  was 
called  for  hearing  by  the  first;  and  it  not  infrequently  happened 
in  criminal  prosecutions  that  learned  counselors  in  the  justice 
halls  of  the  old  government  would  be  pleading  and  interpleading 
and  entering  all  sorts  of  dilatory  motions  in  the  case  of  some  noted 
malefactor  who  had  been  beheaded  by  the  new  government  a  dozen 
or  more  years  before.  A  plan  which  worked  so  well  in  Japan 


The  Prompter  Rings  His  Little  Bell.         353 

would  probably  not  be  a  total  failure  in  Tennessee,  and  the  author 
suggests  that  if  nothing  better  can  be  thought  of  the  dual,  or  Jap 
anese,  system  of  government  might  be  tried  here.  And  if  the  sug 
gestion  meets  with  any  favor  he  would  propose  to  those  inclined 
to  regard  it  kindly  that  they  investigate  closely  the  constitution 
and  methods  of  the  secret  society  known  as  the  K.  K.  K.  to  see  if 
some  ideas  cannot  be  gotten  therefrom  which  would  assist  in  the 
formation  of  a  new  and  up-to-date  criminal  code,  by  virtue  of 
which  justice  would  be  administered  so  expeditiously  that  no  ex 
cuse  would  remain  anywhere  for  the  exercise  of  mob  law. 

Asking  pardon  for  this  somewhat  wearisome  digression  the 
author  begs  leave  now  to  make  brief  mention  of  some  of  the  char 
acters  that  have  been  brought  before  the  reader  in  the  preceding 
pages,  and  who,  perhaps,  now  deserve  further  notice  at  his  hands. 
As  to  the  worthy  old  gentleman  and  his  friend,  Alabama  Sam,  who 
were  left  in  the  vicinity  of  Baker's  Station,  the  author  knows  but 
little  more  of  their  subsequent  movements  and  their  present  where 
abouts  than  does  the  reader  himself.  The  morning  after  the  stop 
ping  of  the  train  on  Paradise  Ridge  the  Nashville  papers  gave  a 
full  account  of  the  melee  incidental  thereto  and  the  shrewd  escape 
of  the  prisoner,  Cross-eyed  Jack,  from  both  mob  and  sheriff.  On 
the  same  day  in  the  forenoon  Mr.  Olof  Ankerstrom,  who  had  been 
previously  introduced  by  Lawyer  Palaver,  appeared  at  the  coun 
ter  of  the  bank  where  the  fee  had  been  deposited  and  presented  a 
check  for  the  balance  on  hand,  signed  by  both  himself  and  the  at 
torney.  As  the  money  was  deposited  to  their  joint  account,  and 
Palaver  had  paid  the  old  gentleman  a  high  compliment  when  he 
introduced  him  to  the  cashier,  the  check  was  honored  without 
question,  and  the  old  gentleman  withdrew  with  thanks.  Next  day 
the  whole  truth  as  to  the  hanging  having  come  out,  and  the  old 
gntleman  not  having  shown  up  at  the  office  of  his  attorney,  Pala 
ver  walked  to  the  bank  and  sought  to  draw  the  entire  fund  on  his 
individual  check.  He  considered  himself — as  he  explained  to  the 
cashier — legally  entitled  to  this,  as  the  case  was  ended,  and  his  co- 
depositor — to  the  best  of  his  knowledge,  intormation  and  belief — 
had  absconded.  When  informed  that  the  old  gentleman  had  drawn 
the  entire  amount — some  three  hundred  and  seventy-five 
dollars — on  the  preceding  day,  his  remarks  were  highly  in 
teresting,  but  as  they  were  not  delivered  under  oath,  or 
in  view  of  immediate  dissolution,  I  do  not  feel  at  lib 
erty  to  repeat  them.  He  claimed  loudly  that  the  bank  had 

23 


354  The  K.  K.  K. 

paid  a  forged  check  and  would  have  to  suffer  in  consequence; 
while  the  cashier  with  more  moderation  insisted  that  Pal 
aver  had  introduced  the  old  gentleman  to  the  bank,  had  led  the 
bank  into  the  error  of  reposing  confidence  in  him,  and  therefore 
Palaver  must  take  the  disastrous  consequences  resulting  from  his 
own  rash  act.  The  controversy  finally  drifted  into  a  lawsuit  be 
twixt  the  lawyer  and  the  bank,  which — a  very  grave  principle  being 
involved — is  hanging  fire  yet,  and  will  probably  occupy  the  atten 
tion  of  the  courts  for  many  years  to  come.  Meantime  the  old  gen 
tleman  and  his  friend,  Alabama  Sam,  have  gone  their  ways  to 
parts  unknown,  and  whether  now  in  the  world  or  out  of  it  the 
author  of  this  faithful  chronicle  cannot  say. 

Up  in  that  benighted  part  of  the  world  of  which  this  narrative 
has  been  treating  they  have  a  custom  of  breaking  loose  into  gen 
eral  hilarity  about  the  Christmas  time  of  the  year.  Tis  a  prac 
tice  handed  down  from  their  ancestors  and  most  religiously  ob 
served  by  the  present  generation.  On  Thanksgiving  Day  turkeys 
will  be  devoured  and  the  request  of  the  president  to  treat  the  oc 
casion  as  a  holiday  circumspectly  obeyed.  But  they  hold,  these 
old-timey  back-country  folks  do,  that  a  divine  ordinance  is  entitled 
to  more  consideration  than  a  human  ordinance,  and  that  as  the 
blessings  of  Christianity  are  incalculable  and  universally  acknowl 
edged  when  it  comes  to  celebrating  the  birth  of  its  Founder  their 
joy  should  know  no  bounds.  Consequently  all  business  at  this  time 
of  the  year  is  suspended  and  the  whole  country — without  regard 
to  age,  sex,  color  or  previous  condition  of  servitude — is  given  over 
to  frolicking.  There  is  plain  fiddling — which  in  my  judgment 
beats  all  the  classic  music  that  ever  was  heard — dancing — such  as 
presumably  would  have  delighted  the  heart  of  King  David — and 
absorption  in  moderate  quantities  of  spirituous,  vinous  and  malt 
liquors — for  which  custom  the  imbibers  have,  or  think  they  have, 
the  high  authority  of  St.  Paul.  Thus  with  a  good  week's  mirth 
do  the  dwellers  in  these  benighted  parts  as  a  general  rule  see  the 
old  year  out  and  the  new  year  in.  With  Christmas  gifts  and 
kindly  greetings,  and  renewed  assurances  of  hearty  good  will 
among  friends,  and  burial  of  old  grudges  bewixt  those  who  have 
been  at  outs,  they  manage  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  cheerfulness  and 
brotherly  love  at  this  gracious  season  that  lasts  them  far  into  the 
following  year. 

On  the  particular  Christmas  following  the  exit  of  Cross-eyed 
Jack  from  the  planet  there  were  two  weddings  which  made  the 


The  Prompter  Rings  His  Little  Bell.         355 

happy  season  even  more  enjoyable  to  the  community  at  large  than 
usual.  One  of  these,  as  the  astute  reader  has  doubtless  surmised, 
was  the  uniting  in  the  holy  bonds  of  wedlock  of  Mr.  Bob  Lee 
Templeton  and  Miss  Marie — alias  Polly — Habersham.  The 
other,  which  befell  only  a  night  or  two  later,  was  the  joining  to 
gether  lawfully  of  our  sober  friends,  Mr.  Randolph  Pearson  and 
Miss  Sue  Bascombe.  At  each  of  these  weddings  there  was  a  large 
attendance,  though  the  former  was  decidedly  the  gayest  and  most 
stylish  affair.  The  Major  was  resolved  to  have  all  of  his  friends 
present  upon  the  occasion,  and  Mrs.  Habersham  and  the  maid,  Ma 
tilda,  were  resolved  to  have  everything  conducted  in  the  most  gen 
teel  fashion,  and  so  it  happened  that  the  large  house  was  full  of 
people  from  bottom  to  top,  and  it  was  at  the  same  time  a  decidedly 
swell  affair.  To  say  that  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton  did  himself 
proud  by  his  behaviour  during  the  ceremony  and  that  Miss  Polly 
looked  sweet  enough  to  eat,  is  after  all  to  say  very  little,  because 
everybody  in  the  least  acquainted  with  them  expected  as  much  in 
advance.  Toward  the  close  of  the  entertainment  the  Major's  ut 
terances  on  the  state  of  the  country  became  louder,  more  dicta 
torial  and  less  argumentative,  from  which  it  was  inferred  by  such 
of  his  hearers  as  were  in  condition  to  judge  that  his  liquor  was 
getting  the  best  of  him.  In  reading  such  conclusion,  however,  I 
need  not  inform  the  reader  that  they  were  entirely  mistaken ;  for 
whether  the  Major  was  unduly  elated  at  having  such  a  fine  son-in- 
law  as  Mr.  Bob  Lee  Templeton,  or  whatever  else  might  have  in 
duced  his  noticeable  conduct,  I  am  ready  to  assert  on  my  own  re 
sponsibility  that  it  was  not  the  stimulating  fluid  he  had  imbibed. 
Saint  Peter  upon  one  occasion  had  the  same  damaging  charge 
brought  against  him  and  repelled  the  accusation — as  all  Bible 
readers  will  remember — by  reminding  his  hearers  that  it  was  only 
nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  such  an  allegation  was  therefore 
preposterous.  This  defense  at  the  time  seems  to  have  been  ad 
judged  satisfactory  and  sufficient,  but  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
both  in  the  case  of  the  Apostle  and  Major  Habersham,  the  high 
characters  they  bore  in  their  respective  communities  would  have 
been  a  more  effectual  reply  to  a  scandalous  impeachment  than 
any  special  plea  that  could  have  been  offered. 

The  Pearson-Bascombe  nuptials,  while  largely  attended,  were 
conducted  in  a  more  quiet  way,  and  rumor  even  went  to  the  length 
of  asserting  that  there  were  two  or  three  mourners  present  upon 
the  occasion.  One  of  these,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  was 


356  The  K.  K.  K. 

Teddy  Mclntosh.  Another,  I  am  equally  confident,  was  not  our 
friend  Slowboy,  because,  though  invited,  he  did  not  grace  the  fes 
tivities  with  his  presence.  Teddy  did  not  look  like  a  mourner,  but 
being  of  a  philosophical  turn  contented  himself  with  the  reflection 
that  there  were  as  good  fish  in  the  sea  as  ever  were  caught.  He 
was  heard  to  whisper  to  two  or  three  of  his  friends  during  the 
evening,  when  he  observed  Pearson  gazing  fondly  upon  his 
bride,  that  that  girl  could  twist  anybody  round  her  finger.  I  may 
observe  in  this  connection  that  Miss  Sue  did  so  twist  Pearson 
round  her  finger  that  he  came  in  time  to  respect  her  opinion  highly 
upon  all  subjects,  and  after  fair  trial  proved  himself  to  be,  what  all 
the  neighborhood  still  regard  him,  a  dutiful,  affectionate,  and 
provident  husband.  Mrs.  Pearson  seems  to  be  quite  fond  of  him, 
and  advises  all  her  girl  friends,  when  they  contemplate  matrimony, 
not  to  confide  their  happiness  into  the  keeping  of  any  gay  young 
fellow,  but  to  hook  on  for  life  to  a  pokey  old  bachelor. 

I  said  just  now  that  Solomon  Slowboy  was  not  present  at  the 
Pearson-Bascombe  nuptials.  I  will  go  further  and  state  to  the 
reader  that  he  was  not  heartbroken  over  the  marriage  of  Miss 
Sue,  but  plucked  up  a  spirit,  and  even  bore  with  seeming  equa 
nimity  the  merciless  guying  of  his  legal  friends  on  the  subject.  Not 
a  great  while  afterward  it  became  pretty  generally  understood  that 
his  mother  had  formed  a  design  to  espouse  him  to  a  damsel  in  his 
own  county,  who,  the  story  went,  after  being  duly  consulted,  had 
consented  to  the  arrangement.  The  female  in  question  was  sharp- 
visaged  and  sharp-tongued,  and  several  years  the  senior  of  her  in 
tended  husband,  but  possessed  in  her  own  right  a  farm  of  a  few 
hundred  acres  which  Slowboy's  mother  thought  could  be  made  a 
desirable  property  if  duly  looked  after.  Matters  were  proceeding 
rapidly  to  a  crisis,  and  Slowboy  had  been  taken  several  times  by 
his  mother  to  call  on  the  elect  lady,  when  one  of  those  untoward 
accidents  occurred  that  will  bob  up  occasionally  in  this  world  to 
diconcert  the  best  laid  schemes  of  mice  and  men.  A  young  chit  of 
a  girl  in  the  town,  with  meek,  brown  eyes  and  peachy  cheeks,  went 
a  fishing  for  Slowboy  and  hooked  him  before  ever  his  estimable 
parent  knew  she  had  designs  upon  him.  Late  one  evening  a  mar 
riage  license  was  procured  from  the  county  clerk,  and  before  an 
other  hour  had  passed,  an  obliging  minister  of  the  gospel  had 
united  the  two  so  firmly  that  even  an  irate  mother  could  not  un- 
knit  the  bond.  The  lawyer  and  his  bride  are  now  living  together 
quite  happily,  the  old  lady  has  been  pacified  and  young  Mrs. 


The  Prompter  Rings  His  Little  Bell.         357 

Slowboy  may  be  seen  on  nearly  every  fine  evening  pacing  around 
the  town  on  Martha  Washington,  looking  as  demure  and  free 
from  guile  as  if  she  had  never  kidnapped  a  lawyer. 

For  a  good  while  after  the  desperate  combat  in  the  cavern  Pete 
Kinchen  and  his  dog  were  noted  characters  among  the  lads 
and  four-footed  beasts  of  the  Marrowbone  Hills.  Young 
Kinchen  again  and  again  escorted  parties  of  curious  sightseers  into 
the  bowels  of  the  earth  and  fought  his  battles  over  again  on  the 
very  spot  where  he  and  de  little  ole  white  man  had  wrestled  in 
pitch  darkness  for  the  mastery.  Here  against  the  wall  stood 
Kinchen,  deeming  himself  safe  from  discovery,  when  of  a  sudden 
the  bare  palm  of  the  old  gentleman  was  laid  confidingly  upon  him. 
On  this  spot  did  he  smite  the  old  man  valorously  with  his  fists, 
around  and  around  in  this  broad  space  did  the  two  waltz  in  silence, 
and  on  this  slippery  piece  of  ground  did  Kinchen  uptrip  his  ad 
versary,  Jineral  Beauregard  rendering  valuable  assistance  at  the 
moment  by  tugging  with  all  his  soul  at  the  other  leg.  Pete 
Kinchen  was  not  given  to  many  words,  but  he  was  made  to  tell  this 
tale  so  many  times  that  he  could  begin  at  the  very  beginning  and 
rehearse  the  thing  straight  on  through  to  the  end  without  ever  a 
stop. 

As  usual  in  such  cases  the  public  was  not  satisfied  with  the  plain 
unvarnished  tale  delivered  by  Kinchen,  but  must  needs  supplement 
this  with  wild  tales  of  the  doings  of  robbers  and  outlaws  in  the 
cavern  at  other  times  and  in  days  preceding  the  era  of  the  horse- 
thieves  who  had  lately  evacuated  the  place.  'Twas  said  that  the 
famous  highwayman,  John  A.  Murrell,  at  one  time  had  his  head 
quarters  in  the  deep  recesses  of  Crawfish  Cave,  and  had  buried 
some  of  his  stolen  treasure  there.  Others  would  have  it  that  old 
Demonbrune,  the  adventurous  Frenchman  who  ascended  the  Cum 
berland  River  long  in  advance  of  the  earliest  white  settlers,  had 
made  his  dwelling  here  for  a  season  and  had  left  valuables  behind 
which  he  wished  to  secrete  from  hostile  savages.  These  tales 
being  afloat,  Crawfish  Cave  was  ransacked  as  it  had  never  been  be 
fore.  Some  parties  took  rations  along  and  remained  underground 
over  night,  digging,  nosing  about,  overturning  stones,  trying  to 
crawl  into  cracks  so  narrow  that  more  than  one  of  the  adventurers 
had  to  be  pulled  out  by  his  companions.  All  this,  and  much  more, 
they  did,  but  while  rumors  occasionally  went  abroad  of  rich 
"  finds,"  nothing  of  great  moment  really  was  unearthed  by  the 
seekers.  Undoubted  evidences  there  were  that  other  human  beings 


358  The  K.  K.  K. 

had  waded  up  Crawfish  Creek  long  before  Alabama  Sam,  Mr, 
Hardrider,  and  the  old  gentleman  found  the  route,  but  they  left  no 
treasure  behind,  for  the  very  excellent  reason,  no  doubt,  that  they 
had  none  to  leave.  Some  bones  of  a  human  skeleton  were  found, 
and  near  these  were  picked  up  an  old  rusty  knife  that  had  lain 
disused  so  long  the  blades  could  not  be  induced  to  open,  and  a  few 
horn  buttons  that  still  defied  the  ravages  of  time.  The  cave 
dweller,  therefore,  who  had  shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil  in  a  place 
so  remote  from  the  haunts  of  men  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
white  race,  but  why  he  had  chosen  to  live  and  die  in  such  a  dark 
some  abode  not  even  conjecture  could  determine. 

As  the  author  of  this  faithful  chronicle  was  journeying  not  many 
years  ago  to  Nashville  along  what  is  called  the  Paradise  Hill  Dirt 
Pike,  in  a  little  broom  sedge  patch  that  skirted  the  highway  he 
came  unexpectedly  upon  Pete  Kinchen  and  Jineral  Beauregard. 
The  lad  had  a  consequential  look  about  him,  as  of  one  who  has  ex 
perienced  surprising  adventures,  and  the  dog  wore  a  shiny  brass 
collar  that  did  not  completely  hide  an  ugly  scar  on  his  neck.  As 
he  viewed  them  curiously  in  passing  the  author  could  not  help  re 
marking  to  himself  that  he  had  known  many  great  men  swagger 
and  give  themselves  airs  whose  claim  to  distinction  was  not  so 
well  founded  as  that  of  Pete  Kinchen,  and  that  many  a  soldier  had 
received  for  gallant  conduct  in  battle  a  medal  not  more  faithfully 
earned  than  that  which  adorned  the  neck  of  Jineral  Beauregard. 
He  bowed  respectfully — the  author  did — in  passing,  and  went 
upon  his  way ;  and  from  that  good  hour  he  has  seen  no  more,  and 
can  tell  nothing  further,  of  the  negro  lad  and  his  dog. 

As  swallows  fly  round  and  round  a  chimney  top  at  close  of  day, 
loth  to  leave  the  rare  atmosphere  in  which  they  have  disported, 
and  sink  altogether  from  the  ken  of  the  world,  so  do  the  creatures 
of  the  author's  imagination  at  the  close  of  his  story  continue  to 
circle  about  him,  loth  to  leave  the  airy  realm  of  fancy  in  which  they 
have  disported  and  part  company  with  him  and  the  actual  world 
forever.  But  having  no  further  excuse  for  stay  he  and  they  must 
go,  and  so  he  makes  now  his  bow,  bidding  God  bless  all  the  kindly 
readers  of  his  simple  narrative  and  all  the  wise  folk  who  will  not 
condescend  to  read  it,  which  two  classes  taken  together — he  does 
himself  the  honor  to  believe — must  embrace  a  very  considerable 
number  of  people.  To  the  scornful  and  the  generous  he  says  a 
hearty  good-by,  and  ventures  in  parting  to  express  the  hope  that 
they  will  all  journey  peacefully  hereafter  along  the  highway  of 


The  Prompter  Rings  His  Little  Bell.         359 

life,  experiencing  no  more  vicissitudes  than  fall  to  the  common 
lot  of  travelers,  and  reach  in  good  time  the  confines  of  that  coun 
try  whose  laws — if  common  report  be  true — are  so  wisely  planned 
and  efficiently  administered  that  its  happy  citizens  feel  no  need  of 
such  an  auxiliary  organization  as 

"  THE  K.  K.  K." 


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UCU  LIBKAKr 


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DUE  JUN  i  6  l%9 

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3UE  MAR    6  1970 


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JUN    3REC'D 
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DUE  MAR    41977 


LIBRARY,  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  DAVIS 

Book  Slip-50m-8,'66(G5530s4)458 


N9  515389 


Tyler,  C.W. 
The  K.K.K. 


PS3539 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


3  1175  00058  5615 


